Forum: Off-topic

My late friend joined USAF in November 1977 and came back in May 1979 claiming he was a Nuclear Weapons Expert.

He spent 6 weeks at Lackland AFB at boot camp and was posted to RAF Mildenhall AFB and did TDY work at RAF Lakenheath AFB.

He said he loaded bombs and missiles on F-16 Falcons they called Vipers.

So, does the USAF have Colonels at RAF Mildenhall, which is a USAF AFB, telling Tech Sargeants that they are Nuclear Weapons Experts?

He had no special access and did not go to college.

Now, I saw Navy Ensigns on board Carriers hand lift and load bombs and missiles on planes.....

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According to the F-16 Timeline in the Reference section here, no American F-16s were in the UK at that time period.

I think this is where we drop the "I could tell you but then I'd have to kill you" Operational Security card. Discussing the when and where of our nuke program is a no-no.

Sorry, but I think I may have meant F-111's and F-4's, not F-16's.

I'm 54 and going senile.

Do you mean it's against this forum rules?

All I want to know is "Do USAF Tech Sergeants really become Nuclear Weapons Experts?" or was he lying to me and my family?

After he left Luke AFB he became homeless several times.

By the way, the name of Area 51 seems to be "Nellis Air Force Range Test Complex" and not those other names like Detachment 3.

Many USAF officials have called it that in the newspapers and magazine and TV news.

It is kind of like Luke Air Force Range but sercet testing is going on.

I'm willing to bet your buddy was full of crap, but that's just my opinion. As far as area 51 goes, no one around here is going to talk about it, so don't ask, at least not anyone who actually knows anything.

Oh boy! Here we go again! More "Nuke-U-ler Weppins" stuff...COMBINED with Area 51 questions! Quick! Get Gums! Laughing

Seriously though, just know that not only officers work around nukes. It's not just the launch officers sitting in the capsule of a Minuteman III silo, or the crew of a B-52, who works around nukes.

If you work Munitions at the right base, you'll likely work around nukes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

TC wrote:

Oh boy! Here we go again! More "Nuke-U-ler Weppins" stuff...COMBINED with Area 51 questions! Quick! Get Gums! Laughing

Seriously though, just know that not only officers work around nukes. It's not just the launch officers sitting in the capsule of a Minuteman III silo, or the crew of a B-52, who works around nukes.

If you work Munitions at the right base, you'll likely work around nukes. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

Yes, I know. I watched Black Sheep Squadron also. In order to fly a fighter you must have a college diploma, Officer Training School, become a Second LT junior grade.

Nuclear Weapons Training School is in Colorado Spring Colorado.

"Nuke-U-ler Weppins"....... I hated it when Jimmy carter used to say it like that. How did that start? Laughing

He has no special access. I think he was lying.

But, is the commander of RAF Mildenhall actually telling Tech Sarges they are Nuclear Weapons Experts when they dont even know what a Klystron is or Neutron Lens is.....???

He claimed he became an expert in 1 and a half years. Thats rich!

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

minneford wrote:

Do you mean it's against this forum rules?

If you were in the military, I would think that you would know that such things could be very sensitive. The government’s default is not confirm or deny. On rare occasions that it is discussed they are usually very careful about how they discuss it. They are usually either so vague that the information has little or no tactical use; or that the information is so narrow or outdated as it would likely have little or no tactical use.

Don’t you think a message board that largely consists of military professionals that are patriotic would care about professional ethics, patriotism, national security and reasonable laws? Like they say, loose lips sink ships. We value our freedom and honor. We don’t want to end up in the hall of shame after getting that knock on the door. At times as why some of us can be a little fanatical/paranoid about security; it’s best to be safe than sorry.

minneford wrote:

All I want to know is "Do USAF Tech Sergeants really become Nuclear Weapons Experts?" or was he lying to me and my family?

That depends on what you call an “expert”. Some people use that term very loosely. Some people would consider themselves “expert” after watching this government video.

I certainly would take what he said with a huge dose of salt. While I can’t say for sure he was lying, I strongly suspect he was whether it be a con, delusion, or a yarn. I am strongly skeptical of people that preemptively and aggressively tout themselves as “experts”.

I find that leaders in the field that I would consider true experts; are usually quite modest.

Your story reminds me of the “SR-71 pilot“ that didn’t know what hypoxia or bends were.

Your story reminds me of the “nuclear physicist” that didn’t know that some people have rocks (uranium ore) in their backyard that is more radioactive than depleted uranium. The same “genius” didn’t know that uranium ore was a natural type of rock.

Your story reminds me of the “US F-16 pilot” that claimed something like he was a 20 years old colonel with over 10,000 hours of flight time on the F-16.

Your story reminds me of the self-appointed “experts” that claim the twin towers collapse was caused by controlled demolition or and a missile attack and that George Bush is an evil genius that planned it all.

Your story reminds me of the self-appointed “experts” that claim that flight 007 was a RC-135 spy flight and that Russians are still holding captives.

Your story reminds me of self-appointed “experts” that claim that flight 800 was shot down by a missile.

Your story reminds me of self-appointed “experts” that claim the space shuttle was shot down by the Soviets and that the USS Thrasher was sunk by the Soviets.

Your story reminds me of the self-appointed “experts” that claim there wasn’t any WMDs in Iraq despite the fact that over 500 were documented and that some coalition soldiers were even hospitalized for exposure to chemical weapons.

Your story reminds me of the self-appointed “experts” that claim we should not chlorinate water because it is a poison and the government is just trying to kill us with chlorine.

Your story reminds me of the self-appointed “experts” that insinuate Captain Scully is a coward and a bad pilot, and he should’ve risked the passengers, the public’s and the crew’s lives to get back to the LaGuardia runway to save the aircraft and make a storybook/Hollyweird ending.

minneford wrote:

TC wrote:

Oh boy! Here we go again! More "Nuke-U-ler Weppins" stuff...COMBINED with Area 51 questions! Quick! Get Gums! Laughing

"Nuke-U-ler Weppins"....... I hated it when Jimmy carter used to say it like that. How did that start? Laughing

It cracked me up every time Carter said that, he seemed like a nice guy ,but he wasn’t exactly a nuclear physicist . I think Jimmy Carter was ripping off Slim Pickens.

Perhaps the aliens are at Roswell to get our precious body fluids? Wink

Like someone said it’s all about body fluids.

Slim Pickens was a nuclear expert. Wink

Uh oh! Some "Doctor Strangelove" references here. You think TC's gonna take a bite? Do zebras have stripes?

"Nuclear combat, toe-to-toe with The Rooskies!"

"Shoot, a feller could have himself a good weekend in Vegas with all that stuff.'

Now, someone better keep this one going, or you're going to have to answer to the Coca-Cola Company.

Well, he said bombs and missiles came from trucks or railroad cars and he used to unload them and store them in the Weapons Storage Area called an Igloo. He said if they ever rusted he would sand off the rust and repaint it. He said he loaded bombs and missiles on many USAF fighters and attack planes and bombers like BUFF's.

He worked in all WSA's at all USAF bases. Lackland, Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Castle AFB, Luke AFB and TDY at some others for USAFE.

I regret to say I was unable to join the USAF to become a test pilot because I was considered 4F with my vision and obesity.

Still, I became a member of the Luke AFB community while my buddy was stationed there. I swam at their pool, used the gym, and got to go in areas no civilians ever went to. I loved the Airshow with the F-16 Thunderbirds. Vipers are better than those old T-38 Talon trainers.

In 1985 Frank quit the USAF rather than be transferred to either Turkey or Korea. His 4 years at Luke AFB were up.

He said he saw a strange weapon there at Luke, it was a triangular wedge shaped vehicle 90 feet long 25 ft tall and it was black. It was covered in a tarp most times. To this day no aircraft I know of match this vehicle. It had stand off weapons or was one. Frank McShane died in October 2006.

Yeah, Slim Pickens must have started Nucular for Nuclear.

To me an expert is anyone who knows everything about a certain subject.

A Physician is considered a medical expert by judges testifying in court.

An Engineer is an expert in construction maintenance and repair.

Jimmy Carter was NOT a Nuclear Expert..

Elite 1K Joined: May 26, 2005 - 08:39 PM Posts: 1496

"But with the proper breeding techniques and a ratio of say, ten females to each male, I would guess that they could then work their way back to the present gross national product within say, twenty years."

minneford wrote:

He worked in all WSA's at all USAF bases. Lackland, Mildenhall, Lakenheath, Castle AFB, Luke AFB and TDY at some others for USAFE.

Perhaps also at the Burpelson AFB under the command of Gen. Jack Ripper. Laughing

FYI - Area 51 = Watertown = Paradise Ranch = Groom Dry Lake. From what I have read about recent operations, Det. 3 (Detachment 3 from Edwards) is the group running the show there these days.

Some of the early stories from there are just too funny - mannequins being shot by the CIA and stolen armored personnel carriers being used to blockade the door to the House 6 Bar were good ones along with slow rolling one A-12, dropping the gear on another A-12 at FL 900 and Mach 3.2 (hey, gear speed is 300 knots indicated, right Wink

) and who could forget the time two hot shot test pilots couldn't get a DC-3 running and had Kelly Johnson tell 'em to let Jimmy Doolittle get up there and do it Cool

Sorry, I can't answer to the question of nuclear weapons specialists and I don't think the people here are going to be too forthcoming with answers.

Well, boys we've got three engines out...

Forum Veteran Joined: Dec 15, 2006 - 12:28 AM Posts: 760

minneford wrote:

To me an expert is anyone who knows everything about a certain subject.

A Physician is considered a medical expert by judges testifying in court.

An Engineer is an expert in construction maintenance and repair.

I disagree! I think experts are just leaders in knowledge in a given field. Nobody knows everything there is to know in a field.

If physicians and engineers know everything there is to know in their field; then why are there specialists?

If they know everything, then why is there research and development?

Just because physicians testify in court does not mean that they know everything. I’ve even met some physicians that I would consider frauds and incompetent. The same can be said about engineers. Generally they are very good highly educated intelligent people; but they all have limitations and flaws; and there are a few that are outright horrible and nuts.

Like they say in many hazardous fields such as in aviation being a pilot. Never assume that you know it all; if you think you know it all that’s when you increase your probability of making a fatal judgment error.

As many experts in their fields have said. I think Einstein said something to the effect: The more that I learn, the more that I find how little I know.

The second that you assume you know it all is when you have lost sanity and have stopped learning and are making a step backwards. The second you assume that you’re infallible is the instant you become a fool. In order to excel as a pilot it takes a lot of training and confidence. The training builds a lot of confidence; however one must be careful that you don’t cross the line to arrogance; because then you can become very dangerous. Confidence must be tempered with modesty, reasonable rational fear, openness and the ability to consider and take reasonable criticism.

Part of training is tearing it down, building you up, tearing you down, building you up…. Part of the reason they do that is to give you confidence but not let you get overconfident. Sometimes it takes a little bit of arrogance to be a pilot but it should not be to the point that you become overly dangerous and lose your judgment and ability to learn.

Shoot the Coke machine now !!! to put this thread out of its misery.