tag:www.thedonovan.com,2012://1/tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840- 2012-01-06T18:25:35Z We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2010 Movable Type 4.12 tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840 2008-10-08T12:16:25Z 2008-10-08T12:34:07Z

The Armorer http://www.thedonovan.com
Bailing. Rocket.

I, of course, respond thusly:

Sigh. Geez, the shite you'll use for an excuse, dude.

Then, do I hear back from him?  Bueller?  Bueller?  Anyone?

~crickets chirp~

Oh, he finally shows up again in another context, sure.

So, why am I posting this?  This is the first war where that kind of thing is really possible.  Where you can have a routine (for our era) conversation going on, safe in your basement knocking back a 'rita, and get a Bailing. Rocket. note in the middle of the conversation. 

Heh.

Oh, and dude - it is too a passing thought, and not a requirement - just to complete the conversation.

*Click "read more" to find out what TINS means, if you don't already know.]]>
In the Air Force, it usually appears as "There I was..."  and involves a lot of hand movement.

The Navy calls 'em sea stories, but I don't know how they start 'em off.  I'll probably find out next month, doing the Kearsarge embark.

If there's a Marine involved, and his lips are moving, it's a sea story.  Or he could just be trying to read his comic book.

See Dusty?  I don't *always* pick on the Air Force.

]]> tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:79007 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
It *did* produce a new sand trap on the Air Force's golf course, though...
]]> 2008-10-10T11:11:14Z 2008-10-10T11:11:14Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78981 Justthisguy http://enemiesofthelibrary.blogspot.com So, Chief, I hope and trust that when the Whizz-Bang went Bang! nobody was hurt and no important stuff was damaged? 2008-10-09T18:20:51Z 2008-10-09T18:20:51Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78969 The Armorer No offense John, sir. [checks for wallet]. Yeah, sure, uh-huh. ;^ )]]> 2008-10-09T15:26:55Z 2008-10-09T15:26:55Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78968 Grimmy
Warrant Officer types are decent enough. Kinda like a hybrid between an officer and a real soldier.

No offense John, sir.]]> 2008-10-09T15:14:20Z 2008-10-09T15:14:20Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78964 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com You've prolly even been to a couple -- remember one with a two-foot deep depression in the center and a huge poison ivy patch in the northeast corner?

Ooo!  Ooo!  That was me!  I did that one!  In collusion with the CSM!
]]> 2008-10-09T14:44:36Z 2008-10-09T14:44:36Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78963 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
I spent all my time figuring out ways to keep from flying resupply missions so I could give the nurses "Orientation Flights" to some remote, secluded clearing in the woods fifty miles from nowhere.

But it usually didn't work because the Ossifer types invariably found every remote, secluded clearance fifty miles from nowhere and designated them all as weekend, post-forced-march bivouac sites for the troops.

You've prolly even been to a couple -- remember one with a two-foot deep depression in the center and a huge poison ivy patch in the northeast corner?
]]> 2008-10-09T14:32:03Z 2008-10-09T14:32:03Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78961 Grimmy
My bad.

In my own defense, I'll tell ya true. It's hard to tell the difference between ours and the Brits with all that hoity toity gentleman stuff y'all like to strut around.]]> 2008-10-09T14:23:35Z 2008-10-09T14:23:35Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78960 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com
You've got us confused with the *Brit* army.]]> 2008-10-09T12:06:46Z 2008-10-09T12:06:46Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78959 Grimmy
You're an officer type person? If so, I have a question for you.
Is it true that officer type folk spend their working days sitting around, eating decrusted cucumber sandwiches, drinking tea and quoting poetry at each other?]]> 2008-10-09T11:12:05Z 2008-10-09T11:12:05Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78957 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
When I was pushing troops at Ft. Dix, my Drill Sergeants would admonish any trainee who addresses them as "sir" with  "Don't 'sir' *me*, Trainee --  I *work* for a living!"

If they said it within my hearing, I'd counter with "Yeah, it's a tough job, keeping those stripes from disappearing, isn't it, Corporal?"
]]> 2008-10-09T05:09:31Z 2008-10-09T05:09:31Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78955 Grimmy
I knew quite a few gunnies that wouldn't hesitate to bust a Marine's chops, both literally and figuratively, if said Marine confused him for a lowly officer type with a misplaced "sir".

And as to the live food for chow. At least we'll know it's fresh.]]> 2008-10-09T04:26:58Z 2008-10-09T04:26:58Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78947 HomefrontSix http://homefrontsix.blogspot.com

Bill ~ Nice to know you're still in one piece...more or less.
]]> 2008-10-09T00:26:52Z 2008-10-09T00:26:52Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78945 Grumpy 2008-10-08T20:51:43Z 2008-10-08T20:51:43Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78944 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
Is Tod Palin in town?
]]> 2008-10-08T20:37:08Z 2008-10-08T20:37:08Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78943 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com I'll leave that to the Denizennes, zipper-boy. 2008-10-08T19:21:50Z 2008-10-08T19:21:50Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78942 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com We only feast on the flesh of the living.

Bite me.

]]> 2008-10-08T19:16:00Z 2008-10-08T19:16:00Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78941 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
*Nnnnnnnnot*.
]]> 2008-10-08T19:02:09Z 2008-10-08T19:02:09Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78938 Neffi Bailing. Rocket.

I type *fast* when I hear "pffffft -- vrooooooooooooooo"...


I particularly admire the punctuation, Chief...]]> 2008-10-08T17:01:32Z 2008-10-08T17:01:32Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78933 John of Argghhh! http://www.thedonovan.com
We only feast on the flesh of the living.

We're just that kinda people.]]> 2008-10-08T16:00:16Z 2008-10-08T16:00:16Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78932 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com ]]> 2008-10-08T15:38:56Z 2008-10-08T15:38:56Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78931 Neffi Musta been a sloooooow rocket, allowing for that message from the receiving end... 2008-10-08T15:30:01Z 2008-10-08T15:30:01Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78929 Grimmy Good thing you didn't get blowed up. No telling what he'd be saying about you if he thought you weren't around to square away the record. 2008-10-08T14:47:55Z 2008-10-08T14:47:55Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78926 BillT http://www.thedonovan.com
If I'd known you didn't trust me to stay intact, I'd a-set up a webcam inside the bunker.

Sheesh.
]]> 2008-10-08T14:20:01Z 2008-10-08T14:20:01Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78924 Grimmy
And for Air Force, just remember that all ranks translate to dude and that any salute crisper than a causual wave is considered a hostile act, and all is fine.]]> 2008-10-08T13:37:31Z 2008-10-08T13:37:31Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78923 Cricket 2008-10-08T13:33:11Z 2008-10-08T13:33:11Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78921 RetRsvMike
..and it isn't for the benefit of the Marine, it's merely to allow them time to translate for their compatriots in the remainder of the Naval Department.
]]> 2008-10-08T13:28:43Z 2008-10-08T13:28:43Z tag:www.thedonovan.com,2008://1.9840-comment:78920 Grimmy
Wrong.

Marine sea stories all start with "this is a no sh!tter!" and their ... umm... relation to an actual event is measured as an inverse to how strident the claims to veracity become.

]]> 2008-10-08T13:09:11Z 2008-10-08T13:09:11Z