OK, so according to Marine Public Affairs, I was wrong…or should I say the veteran crew chief who told me during one of my flights in the Osprey was wrong.
Turns out, Obama was picked up at LZ Washington in the Green Zone in the MV-22. He was flown to Ramadi, where he met with tribal sheiks there who were part of the Anbar Awakening movement. Then he reboarded the Osprey and flew to Amman.
This is logical on several levels. First, if he’s going to a Marine AO for meetings with Anbar officials, it stands to reason the Corps would pick him up in an Osprey rather than a 46. The trip is faster and at a higher altitude, so at least tactically, it’s safer. Also, the Osprey is the most capable aircraft for the long trip from Ramadi to Amman. A 46 would suck for that distance and the 53 wouldn’t be a whole lot better. And you can’t land a C-130 at Ramadi.
Hence the Osprey flight. Marine officials, though at first skeptical themselves, didn’t see a publicity stunt on this one.
But I am curious about the landing at LZ Washington. That LZ is pretty tight (thought I admittedly have really only seen it at night since all of my flights out of there have been at o-dark-thirty). But I vividly remember talking to a veteran Osprey crew chief who was involved in the testing phase of the MV-22 and is now in VMM-263 that the bird couldn’t land at Washington because it was too tight.
I stand corrected…
– Christian
Perhaps the better choice of words than publicity stunt is sales pitch. The Commander in Chief is also the buck stops here guy when it comes to procurement decisions. Demonstrating to someone potentially holding that job in the future that a particular product is technically superior for the job at hand to anything else available in a real life situation involving him, is a great way to keep future MV-22 purchases coming.
One could, of course, have done a C-130 trip which would have been somewhat less direct with more ground travel to and from the nearest airstrips on each end. But, providing point to point VIP service makes for a better sales pitch.
How does Obama rate a salute when exiting an aircraft?
Pure speculation on my part but if the LZ obstacles were power lines and antenna’s they may have been moved or buried to allow access for the MV-22.
I was wondering since when did Senator Obama enter the C2 for military. Again counting his chickens before they hatch.
He’s a senator. There are some senators that are given them. Besides it’s just a military expression of courtesy in addition to being a required practice.
The thing to this, that is important to me is that Sen.Obama is traveling and getting aquainted with the world,unlike the last 7 years of let the country go down hill,let the troops die,drain every dime from the back boon of America,let the world see how thoughtless and greedy we can be,on and on, the next leader needs to be a leader and instead of taking vacations and running from acountability and getting away with it,Lets learn to be honest and up front with the world,earn respect not try to get it buy fear and bullying,I think this guy just might pull it off.The rest doesn’t matter without a good leader. Simper Fi
The thing to this, that is important to me is that Sen.Obama is traveling and getting aquainted with the world,unlike the last 7 years of let the country go down hill,let the troops die,drain every dime from the back boon of America,let the world see how thoughtless and greedy we can be,on and on, the next leader needs to be a leader and instead of taking vacations and running from acountability and getting away with it,Lets learn to be honest and up front with the world,earn respect not try to get it buy fear and bullying,I think this guy just might pull it off.The rest doesn’t matter without a good leader. Simper Fi
Why a MV-22? One compelling reason is time. Oboma was on a very compressed schedule and if your transport mode can provide you with more face time, then so be it. (Don’t we all LOVE the drive to the airport?)
They showed this clip on the Daily Show and John Stewart referred to it as a “transformer”. Which is kinda funny given that two MV-22’s were seen in Transformers
Good post bambooviper. My father, rest his good soul, was a test engineer on the Osprey engines @ Allison Gas Turbine, Indpls,In. in ’80. He retired there with 35yrs service to GM-Allison. They gave him a big retirement party which my stupidvisor let me attend also. They were doing R/D on this engine then. Go AirFarce!! Larry W. in Arlington,Tx,US of A
Man, i’m not an educated man, but I know the difference between right and wrong. Saluting the senator (with a small S)was definately wrong. He has not earned the right nor does he deserve it. Especially, after not aknowledging the tremendous success our troops have made during the period of this surge! Personally, I think that if our troops have to take a drug test upon demand, perhaps our country would want him to do the same. Think about it, we are a 58 States Nation. I think this guy feeds us with a bunch of Flubber-Gubber, and the people that are in my level of education are falling for the BIG LIE!! He expresses change, but it’s against people like me. We love OUR COUNTRY, and we cling to our guns and Bibles. Thank God we have that right, because in other parts of this world, if you posses a weapon, they are put in the Can, and it’s not pretty. Last but not least. I know that the miniscuous number of troops that surrounded sen. Obama, were of those who were at a dead end in lifr and saw no way out. So, they belive the lie. GOD Bless America, the Home of the Free, Because of the Brave!! Gunner-Airborne Inf.
obama say’s he never supported this war, well u know wat,IF YOU DON’T SUPPORT THIS WAR YOU DON’T SUPPORT THE TROOP’S.…That’s it there is no other bullshit anwser for that being said…His wife said that when he became the official Dem canidate his loser wife said it was the first time she was proud of this country,THAT IS THE BIGGEST SLAP IN THE FACE TO ANY 1 ONE WHO SERVED THIS GREAT NATION AND FOR THOSE WHO GAVE THE BIGGEST SACRIFICE, THEIR LIVE’S.jUST ABOUT EVERY MALE IN MY FAMILY HAS SERVED IN JUST ABOUT ALL OUR WARS.…My grandfather and six of his brother’s served in WW2.…If it wasnt for that generation and the USA , this whole world would be speaking german.….….…
We salute dignitaries; the crewchief is junior enlisted. Marines are even supposed to salute foreign officers (in certain contexts, I believe; but one of which is as a POW; admittedly, I may be ‘mis-remembering’).
Hey Bambooviper, why do you hate America?
Don’t worry guys Obama doesn’t have to love the military why hell from his lips to the peasants ears “we need a civil service as well funded as our military”.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Df2p6867_pw&eurl=http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/17/are-the-media-airbrushing-obamas-speeches/
The messiah needs NO stinkin military with guns and stuff why hell he is just going to send the peace core stocked with conscripts to the 3rd world and Warizistan to hug and show our enemies we do care, we do love them to. And it all will be better war on terror will be replaced with war on 3rd world poverty. How can we just 4% of the world population continue to demand 40% of the worlds energy and resources anyway.
McCain needs to practice looking cool. If he put on his black sunglasses and hopped off a v-22 with flack jacket in hand, he’d look pretty damn cool, even for an old man. Anybody looks cool in that picture, heh.
The junior crewchief was directed by the pilot (a LTCol) to salute the Sen. This was after the pilot researched the orders prior to flight knowing he would be flying a Sen.
As a prior CH-46 crew chief and a present MV-22 crew chief, this aircraft is a great replacement and has definitely made things here much easier. This is my third trip to Iraq, the first two on Phrogs and now this one on the Osprey.
As much as I dislike the guy, I would have had to give the proper salute as well. As all prior military know, you don’t have to like the rules but you do have to follow them.
AFI 34–1201, “Protocol,” section 8.1.3 clearly lays out who gets a salute and a US Senator is NOT on that list. The only civilians are the President, Vice-President, SecDef, and the Service Secretaries.
I suspect the other services have similar restrictions…
Hey umm. any o you guys saw the movie ‘Forrest Gump’? an remember what Lt. Dan said when ‘Forrest saluted him in a war zone? Think it was something like DONT SALUTE ME, SOLDIER! Hey he’s just doing his job. heh, heh.
Hey Reg, the kinda change he wants would disarm the american people, neuter the military, funnel resources to the UN, and drag the US down to the level of a third world nation. If thats “Change you can belive in” I don’t freaking want it.
And for the record, I can’t stand McCain either, so its not a matter of elephant vs donkey, or any of that BS.
If you want higher taxes, less military, more social welface programs, gov’t hand outs, etc. etc. etc. than Obama is your man.
Me, I prefer candidates that stick to their word, keep our defense a priority, and don’t support free rides to the lazy.
Well crap, apparently I don’t really have a true candidate in this race but I just can’t stand Obama’s switching sides and anti-American attitude. I’m taking this from the Kerry people, I’ll vote for McCain because he isn’t Obama.
Jeff,
Agree 100% I can’t tell you how frustrating it is to talk to people who see this guy as some sort of demigod. However if he is elected, our country will pay for it in American lives lost on our own soil.
Just received an E-Mail with the following URL: http://web.israelinsider.com/Articles/Politics/12993.htm ,
If it is true (all 6 pages) then why is Obama running for the Presidency and why is he receiving Secret Service protection?
You guys just never stop, do you? You don’t have to be a Nationalist/Republican in order to love your country. I don’t understand the mentality. It seems that the Nationalist/Republican philosophy is anchored in hatred and contempt.
If I’m wrong, please excuse me.
I am an active duty navy corpsman serving with Marines. I don’t know who some of you people are coming off saying “If you don’t support the war, you don’t support the troops”. Well the truth is NONE OF THE TROOPS support the war themselves. So here is the truth, if you do support the troops, don’t support the war. The general American public want out, the troops want out, even the Iraqi government want us out. So why are we still there? Your ‘savior’ Mr. McCain supports a war lasting 50 to 100 years if need be. There is NO need whatsoever. What we need is to focus ourselves inward. Until there is a true threat, there is no need for war, and therefore no need for a bulky military. We CAN scale things back. Let’s focus on the economy a while and not worry about what’s wrong with the world. We have plenty of problems ourselves to be concerned with before we should go around the world trying to fix everyone else’s. You guys that are prior military may argue because you are soo blood thirsty and want war, want to fight. There is no war anymore. Look it up, the correct term is MOOTW, military operations other than war. We are doing searches and seizures and otherwise training the Iraqi military how to operate. We basically police them. I am not with a group or supply or anything otherwise pog(for you civillian types, personnel other than grunt) related, I am a line corpsman working with infantry marines. I did the patrols, the searches, and what have you just like any other grunt. Hell, this war is so f*&%ed up I even stood posts even though its clearly stated in the Geneva conventions I am a ‘noncombatant’ and should never stand any kind of post where I could be required to use hostile force. I have to carry a weapon for the simple fact that we don’t know who our enemy are and they don’t care ab what I am!! In Iraq we are fighting an idea, not a military, not a uniform. What we are doing in Iraq is not going to end this. If you have a problem with Obama being black, that is your problem. You are too ignorant to deserve to vote. If you are voting for McCain because you truly believe in him, then do so. I have tremendous respect for him and what he did as a POW in Vietnam. All my life I was raised republican. I voted the first opportunity I could for republican. For the next 8 years I will not however. You can say what you want about democrats, but it was a mostly democratic led congress that passed the new GI Bill. President Bush FINALLY had something he can long be remembered for that was good for the U.S. After two long terms of screwing it all up, he did ONE thing good. Here’s the thing about higher taxes, yes they suck. But it means we are counting less on countries other than our own to pay our own debts. Tighten up your wallets a little more, and prepare, but you will be helping the next generation.
Can Anyone say this is a true statement and not another blog fake story??
Thanks
USN RET
Obama in Afghanistan (and fake news)
» Hello everyone:
> » As you know I am not a very political person. I just wanted to
> » pass along that Senator Obama came to Bagram Afghanistan for about an
> » hour on his visit to “The War Zone”. I wanted to share with you what
> » happened.
> »
> » He got off the plane and got into a bullet proof vehicle, got to
> » the area to meet with the Major General (2 Star) who is the commander
> » here at Bagram.
> »
> » As the Soldiers where lined up to shake his hand he blew them
> » off and didn’t say a word as he went into the conference room to meet
> » the General. As he finished, the vehicles took him to the ClamShell
> » (pretty much a big top tent that military personnel can play basketball
> » or work out in with weights) so he could take his publicity pictures
> » playing basketball. He again shunned the opportunity to talk to
> »
> » So really he was just here to make a showing for the American’s
> » back home that he is their candidate for President. I think that if you
> » are going to make an effort to come all the way over here you would
> » thank those that are providing the freedom that they are providing for
> » you.
> »
> » I swear we got more thanks from the NBA Basketball Players or
> » the Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders than from one of the Senators, who wants
> » to be the President of the United States. I just don’t understand how
> » anyone would want him to be our Commander-and-Chief. It was almost that
> » he was scared to be around those that provide the freedom for him and
> » our great country.
> »
> » If this is blunt and to the point I am sorry but I wanted you
> » all to know what kind of caliber of person he really is. What you see in
> » the news is all fake.
> »
> »
> » In service,
> » CPT Jeffrey S. Porter
> » Battle Captain
> » TF Wasatch
> » American Soldier
I think LZ Washington is just wide enough to land a Chinook and a Blackhawk side by side with some safety and comfort room between them. I only recall birds landing one behind the other, but there would probably be room for an Osprey if they cleared the whole LZ.
Judging from the people here who hate him, Obama should definitely be the next President. The people who oppose McCain all seem very sane by comparison.
I agree with the Navy Corpman who eloquently spoke of our need to get out of Iraq and start paying closer attention to the problems in our own back yard. He is in the thick of things in Iraq, and knows what is going on over there. He has his thumb on the pulse of the country’s situation, and I applaud his remarks about what we should be doing on this side of the pond. Honor, courage, commitment, the Navy is still in the know. As a Viet Nam veteran who had two tours in Nam, I have the utmost respect for this man. Thanks shipmate for being where it counts, and having the courage to speak your mind.
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