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Deployment update

chiplee

By chiplee,
in Just plain ol' B.S.

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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So I'm still in Japan and keeping pretty busy. Thought I'd drop a quick update here since I've been completely out of pocket and I'm about to go back off the grid for a bit. The squadron is doing well and the deployment is flying by. We were in Malaysia fighting Mig-29's and SU-30's two months ago, and then Korea at a joint exercise with Air Force and RokAF F-15s, F-16s and F-4s. We leave for Guam next week and then it's a short run to Christmas and New Year's. We head home shortly there after so it'll fly by. My Marines (about 160 of them) are basically breaking records for aircraft availability (I'm the maintenance officer). Historically if a squadron averages about 9 out of 12 jets in an up status for 30 days they're seriously killing it. We've averaged 10.5 up jets for the entire 4 months we've been here, which is truly unheard of. The best any squadron has done since this data's been tracked is 9.6 and that was for 30 days. Needless to say it's got almost nothing to do with me and is a testament to the awesome talent my guys bring to the table, but I don't think it hurt to do all my own quest wrenching for the last 20 years, lol. By some strange extension, the stuff I learned on these boards probably actually helped my squadron get jets in the air if you can believe that. I'll be back in the states in January and moving again around July. Can't believe my 3 years in Texas is almost over already. Hoping to head to the northeast. Edited by chiplee
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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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i'm hoping northeast also. i'm ready to move up from sim traning.

 

Hey, Dad! Yeah, I can see us zipping around in a Cirrus SR22T or something pretty often if I make it up there for any length of time. It's a tricky time right now with the draw down. Fortunately there are early retirements on the table that take a little bit of the edge off. If my next set of orders is terrible I might be able to just retire. We'll see. I could end up anywhere this time around, France, Korea, Norway, Spain, Monterey, CA, Newport RI, and tons of other places. Quantico is distinct possibility this year though, from what the monitor is saying.

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Starfighterpilot Newbie

Starfighterpilot

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Chip, it's great to hear from you.

 

From an ex-submariner, which "Target" flat top is your squadron on?.

 

Do you still have that picture of your yellow Quest in front of the F-18 on your lap top? That is a GREAT PICTURE. If so, post it so the NOOBS know what you do.

 

Keep on keeping the faith!!

 

Ken

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Shelby Newbie

Shelby

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Good to hear all is going well. How's the family doing?

 

Lionbull, yes slydogg is chip's father.

 

Jimmy

 

and a very Proud Pappy at that :)

and he's not the only man proud of his son :)

 

c/p from Chip > but I don't think it hurt to do all my own quest wrenching for the last 20 years, lol. By some strange extension, the stuff I learned on these boards probably actually helped my squadron get jets in the air if you can believe that. I'll be back in the states in January and moving again around July. Can't believe my 3 years in Texas is almost over already. Hoping to head to the northeast.

 

.............................................................................................

 

like I have told these guys many times over the years , learning to work on these cars helps you mature in many ways , that have nothing to do with working on a car :)

 

you cross my mind several times a week old man , you still keeping you photo book page up to date

I need to check up on that little angel of yours ( the younger one ;) ) ooh we now have 15 g-g-kids :)

you take care and be safe , retiring would not be so bad, give you time to know the little one , they don't stay little for very long

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Fanta Newbie

Fanta

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Japan? Man, I never knew you were into all that anime and otaku stuff! I kid I kid!

 

Glad to hear you're alive and well! Hope the missus and your daughter are doing great too!

 

Hey, with the NE, that means snow, and it means you can finally make use of your mall crawling 4Runner :D I kid I kid!

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TexasQuest Community Regular

TexasQuest

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Sounds like you been having some fun. They still using F-4's for front line use? One of my favorite U.S. planes! Get in trouble in a dog fight? Hit the afterburners and get outta dodge! Russian planes have any surprises?

I highly doubt they use the F4 Phantoms anymore other than for dogfight practice. Good to hear from you again chip, I hope to see your car someday before you leave DFW.

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chiplee Newbie

chiplee

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Good to hear all is going well. How's the family doing?

 

Lionbull, yes slydogg is chip's father.

 

Jimmy

 

The family is doing great. My wife and daughter are staying with her mother for the entire deployment which has just made it really easy. Our first stop on the deployment was actually in Hawaii, so I flew Amy and Amelia out to be with me there. This is one of the last days we were together before we continued west.

 

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc82/chipleeiii/IMG_2303_zps26ec688e.jpg

And a shot of my girls last Halloween.

http://i212.photobucket.com/albums/cc82/chipleeiii/IMG_2493_zps32dc849a.jpg

 

 

Chip, it's great to hear from you.

 

From an ex-submariner, which "Target" flat top is your squadron on?.

 

Do you still have that picture of your yellow Quest in front of the F-18 on your lap top? That is a GREAT PICTURE. If so, post it so the NOOBS know what you do.

 

Keep on keeping the faith!!

 

Ken

 

Lol @ "target" flat top. I'm not on a ship for this deployment, Ken. We're land based on MCAS Iwakuni, Japan. Pretty low stress really, but I'd kill to be back in the show on a ship. Nothing like waking up with a cat shot.

 

Oh and of course I still have that pic, and the car. Not going anywhere. Might update the pic to a "Cowboy" jet for my current squadron though.

 

This was the one that became a poster, but there were others.

 

http://webpages.charter.net/chiplee/xxright216.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/chiplee/xxfrontright200.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/chiplee/smaller200.jpg

http://webpages.charter.net/chiplee/smallright.jpg

and a very Proud Pappy at that :)

and he's not the only man proud of his son :)

 

c/p from Chip > but I don't think it hurt to do all my own quest wrenching for the last 20 years, lol. By some strange extension, the stuff I learned on these boards probably actually helped my squadron get jets in the air if you can believe that. I'll be back in the states in January and moving again around July. Can't believe my 3 years in Texas is almost over already. Hoping to head to the northeast.

 

.............................................................................................

 

like I have told these guys many times over the years , learning to work on these cars helps you mature in many ways , that have nothing to do with working on a car :)

 

you cross my mind several times a week old man , you still keeping you photo book page up to date

I need to check up on that little angel of yours ( the younger one ;) ) ooh we now have 15 g-g-kids :)

you take care and be safe , retiring would not be so bad, give you time to know the little one , they don't stay little for very long

 

You're the only one who checks that thing, Shelby. I might as well just add you to the family email distro list to save you the trouble. I wonder what you're up to pretty often, too. I don't know what it is about you but you're a good old cat, man. I gotta' get back down there when I get back.

 

I highly doubt they use the F4 Phantoms anymore other than for dogfight practice. Good to hear from you again chip, I hope to see your car someday before you leave DFW.

 

That should be easy to arrange. Plenty of time off to be had post deployment. I don't really know what the ROK Air Force does with their F-4's, but I think they're still full up. It was awesome to see those old war birds on the line.

 

man chip been a long time! Glad to see your ok!

if you go to Quantico you will be like 30 miles from me. very cool. if you do end up there.

 

That would be cool. I hear meet planning in the works.

 

Glad to hear you are doing well and tearing it up out there Chip!

If you end up in the Northeast you'll have to head out and show off that yellow beast to some of us northern folk

 

That's where she was born, and where she will one day return. Can't ever know how soon, but one day.

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slydogg Newbie

slydogg

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Hey, Dad! Yeah, I can see us zipping around in a Cirrus SR22T or something pretty often if I make it up there for any length of time. It's a tricky time right now with the draw down. Fortunately there are early retirements on the table that take a little bit of the edge off. If my next set of orders is terrible I might be able to just retire. We'll see. I could end up anywhere this time around, France, Korea, Norway, Spain, Monterey, CA, Newport RI, and tons of other places. Quantico is distinct possibility this year though, from what the monitor is saying.

i was thinking cessna 150 but if you insist, that is one sweet aircraft. i'm sure amelia will enjoy flying it.
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