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Navy pilots draw "obscene" picture in sky over Washington

HyFlyer

HyFlyer

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Navy pilots draw "obscene" picture in sky over Washington

http://www.sfgate.com/local/article/Navy-pilots-draw-penis-in-sky-over-Washington-12365612.php

Navy officials acknowledged that one of its air crews was responsible for skywriting a penis over a rural Northern Washington county Thursday.

Local media began receiving reports of the phallic symbol above the skies in Okanogan County Thursday afternoon.

"After it made the circles at the bottom, I knew what it was and started laughing," Okanogan's Ramone Duran told The (Spokane) Spokesman-Review. "It was pretty funny to see that. You don't expect to see something like that."

Officials at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island later confirmed that one of its aircraft was responsible, saying an an F/A-18 Growler flew in a pattern "that left a condensed air trail resembling an obscene image to observers on the ground. "

"The Officers and Sailors of the United States Navy are professionals, held to the highest standards, while serving our nation with pride around world," Lt. Cmdr. Leslie Hubbell, the base's media officer, said in a statement. "The actions of this aircrew were wholly unacceptable and antithetical to Navy core values. We have grounded the aircrew and are conducting a thorough investigation -- and we will hold those responsible accountable for their actions. The Navy apologizes for this irresponsible and immature act.

"The Navy apologizes to anyone who was offended by this unacceptable action," the statement continued. "An investigation into this flight will be conducted and if appropriate, the aviator(s) responsible will be held accountable."

Vice Admiral Mike Shoemaker, commander of Naval air forces, also weighed in.

"Naval aviation continually strives to foster an environment of dignity and respect," he said in a statement. "Sophomoric and immature antics of a sexual nature have no place in Naval aviation today. We will investigate this incident to get all the facts and act accordingly."
 
I'm with Mr. Ramon Duran. I think it's hilarious. :biggrin-new:

Heck, flying a couple holding loops, and a vertical climb isn't any big deal. What if the Hornet was practicing ACM? A couple G Warm circles, a nice vertical pull into an Immelman...

But it's still funny they're making such a BFHD (Big, Fat, Hairy, Deal) over it. Apparently, even the poor Navy is getting PC shoved up it exhaust pipes...

Well, just for the fun of it, I'm going to go out an do some sky writing tonight. Let's see someone whine and whimper like a little baby over THAT...

Have fun, all, and may the PeeeCee Police never darken your doors!
Pat☺
 
The entire Navy is riddled with "company Men and women" now. Everyone is offended by everything and that's just a speck of it. I thought it was pretty funny too when I read the article. But someone somewhere will try and please somebody and get these guys disciplined. Very sad! Whatever happened to, if you don't like it, keep on moving?
 
What happened to everybody's sense of humor, for crying out loud. This is funny, not offensive...
Sue
 
This maybe another reason why so many highly trained military pilots are leaving the service besides the fact that there's limited flying hours and more money in the civilian or private sector? Now with people crying over this **** its probably the nail in the coffin for this flight crews careers.

If I was they're OIC I pin a medal on them even if it had to be behind close hatches..

:redfire:
 
When I first saw the this, I thought it was just a badly flown Cowboy Hat. I guess the public wanted to see penises.

Beard
 
I’d want to know if it was intentional or not,were they in some sort of pattern? As is stated in the story? Or did they say “hey looky,were leaving a trail let’s draw a $8+’ “.....if it wasn’t intentional then it’s not an issue! People need to get their heads out of the Bible and let others live as they wish,and yes most people’s moral beliefs are based on a book no one can prove to be truth.
 
I just looked at the figure again. Maybe they were hungry, and were indicating they were heading to Arby's for a nice triple roast beef sammich. They used the figure to invite other members of the squadron to join them.

Can't be offended, no matter how hard you try, by the Arby's cowboy hat, after all :D

Pat☺
 
I thought it was pretty funny.... but there will always be those whose sensitive sensibilities will be offended by this, in this politically charged world we now live in.

BB686:US-flag:
 
You're automatically suspicious of management's attitude and response when you see the buzzwords "dignity and respect" in print. That BS started coming out in the late 90s, they were telling us how they wanted us to treat everyone that way - only problem is we never received like treatment from our own management. Note I didn't say "leadership."
 
Isn't it funny, not funny ha-ha but funny odd, how some people get SO upset when they are offended, but they get all kinds of upset when their being offended offends others? It's not ok to offend them, but it's ok for them to offend others.

I find it offensive that those Navy pilots are being persecuted for sky-writing a 10 gallon hat in the sky. It MUST stop, for I am offended :D

Heck, now I'm confused. And offended at my confusion...:biggrin-new:

Enough already. I guess I'll have to sack up and get over it. Ok, I'm over it :dizzy:

Pat☺
 
The politically correct remake of the military continues, IMHO...here is a GREAT article from Dr. John Lehman, Jr, former SECNAV on that very topic from a few years ago:

https://fightersweep.com/6171/is-naval-aviation-culture-dead/

The Navy's reaction to this latest aircrew "escapade" seems to bear out some of the points Lehman made (Can't lie: I'm a John Lehman fan, although I was career Air Force...).

Kent

P.S. PhantomTweak and Naismith-- you'd both make GREAT commanders...ANYONE could see that was a cowboy hat-- it just took you two to point it out. I bet those F/A-18G guys wish either of YOU were their boss!
 
P.S. PhantomTweak and Naismith-- you'd both make GREAT commanders...ANYONE could see that was a cowboy hat-- it just took you two to point it out. I bet those F/A-18G guys wish either of YOU were their boss!
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Thanks!
I was quite content as a Sergeant, though. After all, Sergeants run the Corps, anyway :D
Being in a dead, or at least dying MOS at the end, I wound up as the most senior Sgt in the Corps, whether you measure Time in Grade, or Time in service. They only promoted 4 Sergeants to Staff Sergeant my entire career. One even deserved it. I was given a choice, eventually: Cross-deck into F/A-18's and spend at least 8 months a year at sea for the rest of my career, or get out. Since I had a job lined up at double my military pay, guess which I chose.

But I do appreciate the vote of confidence.
I would have told them "Great Cowboy hat guys. I'll meet you at the Club later. Get moving!" Not the O Club of course, but whichever bar they use at Whidby to fill the bill.

The only time I saw Naval Aviators do something really worthy of true disciplinary action was one night, when I was working at the Aerostat Site in Yuma. Two Hornets started making gun runs on our mooring system. With the Balloon up at 10,000' AGL. That means there was a virtually invisible, black, 1" diameter, Kevlar tether connecting the Balloon to the ground on the Mooring System. The '18's were making passes at right about 250' AGL, using the metal, van shaped, mooring system enclosure as a radar target. If either of then had caught the tether, it would have torn off a wing or sliced the plane in half, and at 350 KIAS and 250' AGL, they wouldn't have had time to eject.
AND we'd have lost the Balloon!
I was able to use the Balloon's radar (I was the lead e-tech, and know that radar system inside out. Like F-4 Radars) to track the planes as they made their circuits, and get their Mode 2 squawks. We called the base, and had the ATC notify their CO, and the FAA rep, neither of who were happy to be gotten out of bed at 0230. Needless to say, we had them called off target NOW, too. I was able to give Mode 2, Mode C, Altitude, Airspeed, Latitude, and Longitude, to the ATC. We had them cold. March AFB had them called out too, and had called the Yuma ATCs in a fury. They are who we fed data to.
We heard their CO, and Yuma's Base CO, were waiting when they landed back at MCAS Yuma. Ripped the wing patches off their flightsuits right on the flight line after they climbed down from their planes.
Their careers were OVER.
By the way, our airspace was completely restricted for 2 miles in radius, and very clearly annotated on all charts, and briefed to new pilots at Yuma, even the WTI pilots, who these were. Past tense. They had NO excuse.

Sorry, but that little episode is totally different than a cowboy hat, but I think demonstrates the rediculous lengths PC has gone in abusing Naval Aviators. Threatening a multi-million dollar Aerostat, and 2 aircrew's lives, maybe even the balloon's flightcrew if they had crashed onto the site, as well as two Hornets, is a LITTLE different than making a hat.

Have fun, all!
Pat☺
 
Naismith said:
liberals have squeezed the fun out of just about every aspect of life.
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Nothing to do with true liberals - everything to do with precious pups going out of their way to be offended by someone on behalf of someone else and then seen to be so hurt they just HAVE to smack those appalling offendees down - it's all about egos and power play! It's political, but not correct (gawd I hate that term PC!)
As a CO I'd smile to myself, be glad my guys have got some spirit and skill, but tell them to do it somewhere a little less "in your face to the "poker up their arses" brigade" next time.
 
To the best of my knowledge no one knows what if any punishment will be meted out.

If it affects their careers it will be because of the poor judgement they showed not the specific thing they did.
Liberals or right wing bible thumpers, it is a stupid thing to do today or in the past. Nothing to do with politics and all to do with poor taste.
If they are junior officers, which they almost certainly are, then they will be ok in the long run, probably get a new call sign out of it.
 
joe bob said:
If they are junior officers, which they almost certainly are, then they will be ok in the long run, probably get a new call sign out of it.
Click to expand...

JB - Respectfully differ from your analysis. For a large number of years, we have lived in an era of "ZERO tolerance" for "mistakes" in the military-- regardless of rank and years of experience (read the Lehman article at the link I posted above to get a sense of this). I predict that sacrificing these aircrew on the alter of political correctness (which unfortunately, this has EVERYTHING to do with) will end up being a cheap "no-brainer" for the NAVY to assuage and win begrudging (albeit blindingly brief) approval from that part of the population who seem to announce their "outrage" and "anger" about something or other on a daily basis.

Unfortunately for these guys (and the military as a whole), it isn't a good time to be "colorful" and it is especially dangerous to think/act like warriors...

Just my .02 cents. We'll have to see what happens...

Kent
 
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