Question for US Air Force Dawgs

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I have a question for USAF Dawgs about A-10 Warthogs. I retired, at 67, from the US Navy F/A-18 Legacy Program 3 years ago at Naval Station, North Island, in San Diego. I am tuned in to the F/A-18 A,B,C,and Ds. BTW the Super Hornets are E and Fs. I am not tuned in to Air Force assets from a repair concept.

For some exercise I walk about 6 miles 4 times a week on Coronado Beach. I have included a link to show the beach. On the far side of the beach is the landing approach to the naval station which can be seen on the webcam as is pans around for multiple views.

I have seen a lot of USAF A-10 Warthog activity: A-10s landing and taking off. It almost looks like test pilots certifying air worthiness to leave the depot? I am confused on why USAF Assets are being worked at Naval Base North Island instead of USAF Depot at Hill AFB? Any Air Force Dawgs have any speculations?

At the risk of sounding trite Coach, thank you for your service. It is something near and dear to my heart. I have lost two close veteran friends in the last five years from illnesses caused by their tours.

One was forty-five with a wife and two kids and the most recent, in April, was 38 leaving a wife and two children. It is heartbreaking.

Thank you, from the depth of my heart, for your service.

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Originally Posted by EdwardDrayton

At the risk of sounding trite Coach, thank you for your service. It is something near and dear to my heart. I have lost two close veteran friends in the last five years from illnesses caused by their tours.

One was forty-five with a wife and two kids and the most recent, in April, was 38 leaving a wife and two children. It is heartbreaking.

Thank you, from the depth of my heart, for your service.

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Something that saddens me is that many vets filter out the fact that the military is a toxic environment as well as a stressful environment also. Because of past behavior in the military culture, toxins have found a gateway into vets health. Contamination from over 70 years ago still lay in Waite for active duty personnel while on military property because of administrative neglect.

I have been fearful of tobacco and hard drugs. I only drink strong beer thus less needed for a buzz? While on active duty, I wore a radiation film badge because of exposure to nuclear reactors and weapons on board FBM submarines. Because of manpower shortages of security clearances, I always maxed out on radiation exposure limits.

Troops have been exposed to fire pit burning of assets in Iraq and Afghanistan. The contents were excessively toxic and sadly less health committed troops are condemned because of exposure. Excessive deployments send the stress factor thru the roof also.

I hope that our vets take heed to the need to monitor their health so they can live into their eighties. I guess I might be lucky because my son is 50 and daughter 42.

Both friends died of cancer from exposure to the toxic environment. The VA just now is beginning to acknowledge that, although the survivor benefits for the spouses are a fraction of the pension.

Forgive me. I in no way intended to hijack your post but there are many veterans and their surviving spouses fighting for benefits related to their service.

Thank you for your willingness to share; I know from talking with my friends that it’s not at all easy.

God bless you.

One issue with VA disability claims is that there are so many frivolous and down right fraudulent claims, it gums up the system and makes it harder for those truly impacted by military service to get benefits they are due.

As far as A-10s, no idea on why they are flying out of Coronado, but my friends who worked in A-10 maintenance always complained about how labor intensive they are.

I remember when I was in IERW, Army Flight School, in the late 80s we were hearing that when the AF would get rid of them the Army would take them over. We were excited as hell but then the AF said no they were not going to be retired. The AF will never let the Army have it's own AF like the Marines.

I'm ex-USAF....that sounds like something your average NCO would know nothing about. Especially if it is a JCOM operation.

I hope they are training Ukrainian pilots in those A-10's .... if they had some over there it would indeed make a difference (at least until they are shot down)

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Originally Posted by parabrave

I remember when I was in IERW, Army Flight School, in the late 80s we were hearing that when the AF would get rid of them the Army would take them over. We were excited as hell but then the AF said no they were not going to be retired. The AF will never let the Army have it's own AF like the Marines.

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Army has more 'boats' than the navy and more 'aircraft' than Air force!

My Mother-in-Law received a check in 2004 - for her father being exposed to radiation from the Hiroshima bomb ... he was on a boat (Navy) that was monitoring radiation and effects. Most of that crew developed cancer and the government paid off ...... 60 YEARS later - well after the families had moved on.

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Originally Posted by EdwardDrayton

At the risk of sounding trite Coach, thank you for your service. It is something near and dear to my heart. I have lost two close veteran friends in the last five years from illnesses caused by their tours.

One was forty-five with a wife and two kids and the most recent, in April, was 38 leaving a wife and two children. It is heartbreaking.

Thank you, from the depth of my heart, for your service.

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My dad broke his back in Vietnam. Died about 10 years later all service related. The VA took very good care of me and my brother.

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Originally Posted by BiscuitEater

Army has more 'boats' than the navy and more 'aircraft' than Air force!

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But you are comparing Lincoln Logs to Red Wood trees. The USS Stennis with it compliments of planes alone could take out all ARMY ships and all Army aircrafts along with a lot of their tanks. Capital ships carry tactical nukes and the Captain does not have to get Presidential approval to use. Just saying.

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Originally Posted by viverlibre

One issue with VA disability claims is that there are so many frivolous and down right fraudulent claims, it gums up the system and makes it harder for those truly impacted by military service to get benefits they are due.

As far as A-10s, no idea on why they are flying out of Coronado, but my friends who worked in A-10 maintenance always complained about how labor intensive they are.

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I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

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Originally Posted by Jack Lambert

I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

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Good post and I agree. I'm also a Veteran and completed 2 tours in Iraq in the early 2000's... alot of those injuries sustained then and even doing my job are re-surfacing as I get older, luckily I did have it all in my records and the VA does compensate me. But viverlibre isn't wrong, there are people who lie about injuries alot. Some of them fool the VA, others have been caught, especially recently.

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Originally Posted by Jack Lambert

I am going to disagree a little. Post dramatic stress is real. Every veteran has it to a certain degree. That's the only one you don't need medical records for. Any other injury you are going to have to have medical records sent to your VA hospital. I will say this as Veterans get older a lot of the those injures turn to arthritis. I use to never use the VA. I thought I have had a good life and wasn't going to take VA resources away from another vet but my attitude is starting to change reading what is being done with VA resources. I broke my right hand while on active duty Marine Corps. I have four screws. It is starting to really hurt all the time. I am pretty sure it is arthritis setting in. I now have arthritis for serving for serving my country and I am going to claim it. It will probably be 30% disability but like my fellow Marine Buddies say, "I earned It". It is only going to get worse and I need to get it started. I can increase the % as the years go by.

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I should have preferenced my comments with "in my experience" which is with the AF and ANG. Not my intent to disparage combat vets, please accept my apology.

I served 32 years and personally know of many who have filed claimed for knee issues, elbow issues, CPAP, etc., that are questionable. One example is a former Airman who had knee surgery in the early 90s (suffered playing basketball off duty), he played rec basketball at a high level in a city league into his 50s. He received 30% disability upon his discharge in the early 90s. So he can play basketball several nights a week for decades after service, but his knee is so bad he has gotten tens of thousands in VA disability? I know several fatties who have gotten 50% for being on a CPAP, again these are AF folks who have never done anything dangerous or been exposed to chemicals, and done very little PT. There is a cottage industry of doctors and other paid professionals who will write a nexus letter for you for just about anything and connect it to your service.

Again my experience is AF, no doubt many Marines and Soldiers have faced combat, rigorous/dangerous training, done harsh PT in full gear, etc., and earned VA disability. Most Airman have not faced such hardships (a few have). Many service members deserve disability benefits, but those who don't deserve benefits gum up the system for those who do, just like with SS disability, Workers Comp, etc.

I just want to say, Thank You, to all of you that have served. Your sacrifice and the sacrifice of your family is greatly appreciated by me! My dad was a Force Recon Marine and served in Viet Nam. The physical injuries he sustained were minor but mentally and emotionally he was never the same due to things he had to do and the things he witnessed, and he carried that with him til the end. God Bless all of you for your service!

So to answer your question, I watched a video where the military is testing the new version of the A10. Could be sorties on those? Also watched where they have made a smaller, but unmanned version of the A10. Looks badass

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Originally Posted by Activated Alpha

So to answer your question, I watched a video where the military is testing the new version of the A10. Could be sorties on those? Also watched where they have made a smaller, but unmanned version of the A10. Looks badass

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That sounds pretty cool.... I have seen a first hand demonstration of the older A-10's and was awestruck... caveat - I've never been anywhere near combat when I served ... just to make that clear to show proper respect to those who have but that demonstration shook the ground and had direct hits on armor and if I were the enemy it would have had an incredible effect on my psyche... to know that now we have un-manned capability has to promote some kind of fear factor.
And to ALL who have served- Thank you. And to those who have experienced combat- y'all have my eternal gratitude... and their families as well.... my time was up when my unit shipped out for two tours but I did lose close friends so I have an idea what it's like to lose friends

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Originally Posted by Activated Alpha

So to answer your question, I watched a video where the military is testing the new version of the A10. Could be sorties on those? Also watched where they have made a smaller, but unmanned version of the A10. Looks badass

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I wonder is the unmanned one will sound like a fart when fires.?

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Originally Posted by Jack Lambert

I wonder is the unmanned one will sound like a fart when fires.?

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That was cool to hear. Now if you want to piss in your pants have an F4 do a low pass over you with afterbuners lit. You will never forget that.