Skip to main content

I'll Take Shotgun

I have the E.Q. (Entertainment Quotient) of a 9 year old boy. So when my co-Cub Scout leader called to tell me she wanted to take the boys to a National Guard training site where we could watch a landing of both an Apache and Blackhawk helicopter, up close and personal, I was all over it.

We arrived at a small grassy field, among a few groups of National Guard in training. The Blackhawk came in first and landed about 50 feet from us. The wind and noise it created was incredible. The Apache landed shortly thereafter.

Once landed and secured, the boys were allowed to climb into the Blackhawk but not the Apache. Apparently, the Blackhawk is multi-function but the Apache is just for shooting up targets. Top Secret. Anyhoo, the pilot was invited to come and answer questions from the boys like what are those poky out things right there (static control), why are there blades on the back of the chopper (to stabilize it), where is the gas tank (behind the sliding door), and why is the horizontal blade curved (to minimize the vortex).

Pretty soon the boys ran out of questions and stood there staring at an increasingly uncomfortable pilot. In order to break the tension I asked a few questions like can the Blackhawk shoot hellfire (gasp from 9 year old boys. I said the "H" word), how is the barrell attached, where is it stored, how close do you have to be to the target before you shoot, and which button in the helicopter commands the release of the missiles. The pilot answered my questions calmly and without batting an eye.

In what I hoped was a moment his guard was down, I asked for the pilot's keys. "They're on top of the sun visor on the driver's side," he replied.

"I already checked. The is no sun visor," I said.

"Maybe they're in the ignition." I already knew they weren't there, either. He was clearly onto me. I had just found my first target.

Later one of the boys sat on a seat in the back of the Blackhawk and asked what he's supposed to do when he's all buckled up. "Pray to heck 'cause there's nothing you can do at this point if the enemy shoots down this baby," he said totally straight faced.

"Not at all appropriate!" I yelled at him. Secretly, he was starting to grow on me. It was a shame I'd be killing him as soon as found those keys.

Comments

  1. GREAT post! My husband is National Guard and does this stuff all the time! He LOVES the questions that kids (and yes, parents too...) ask him! I'm so glad that you & your kids enjoyed it!!

    ~ Jennifer
    http://thetoyboxyears.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  2. I wonder if he'd have said the same thing if a dad had been standing there? I think he wanted you to hear him...maybe a little flirting in uniform was going on?

    ReplyDelete
  3. That is so cool! I am adding that to my list of things to do. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
  4. This comment has been removed by the author.

    ReplyDelete
  5. My Uncle flew Black Hawks before he retired, I used to love to hear about his missions. I would also be all over this type of field trip, this is when I LOVE being a Mommy to so many boys!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Cool field trip! Funny pilot, I love people who has a sense of humor!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Um how cool is that?? I'd love to my cubs there too!

    So you voted for Obama? Hrm. ... no comment.

    AAaaaaaaaaaand I had to say your post bout the reunion was really nice-sounds like it was very fun!

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Most Dreaded Words

 Everybody knows that Christmas is about keeping the Santa Secret and pleasing your children. Therefore, the most dreaded words are uttered on Christmas Eve. "I changed my mind, I want a [pony, scooter, bike, Red Rider BB gun]" A close second place winner is, "Can I have a New Year's Eve party?" Then, "Me, too?"

Too Sick to be Sick

I am sick.  Really and truly sick.  I even took a sick day and felt no guilt whatsoever that maybe I wasn't sick enough to have a "sick day."  Because I am.  My 5 year old was sick, too so I took him to the doctor.  I refuse to acknowledge that I'm sick because I don't get sick.  So with absolute glee, my little boy climbed up onto the table, stuck out his tongue and conversed with the doctor.  I heard something about cloudy ears and antibiotics and then I just turned it off. It hurts when sound reaches my eardrums. We drove back home, I turned on the television, brought in the dog, and let the babysitting begin.  I crawled back into bed and swam somewhere between consciousness and unconsciousness.  The kids came home from school.  I might have acknowledged them.  I made chicken noodle soup from scratch.  I couldn't even think.  My husband caught me in a sway and asked what he could do.  I grunted some terse instructi...

What We Eat

Check out the good looking crew.  Just to clarify.  I'm the pretty one. There's a little mountain resort in Northern Utah that is invaded every July by this group of people. We are an intimidating bunch. 5 years ago my brother brought his Nepalese bride to the United States.  She lived in a country where she had no expectation to ever drive a car.  She bought her food daily from the market and ate it.  She taught English, although her accent was so strong when she arrived I questioned her grasp of the language.  We tried to be friendly and accepting.  We ended up scaring the daylights out of her. She thought we were crazy.  Her words, not mine. Although I think she tolerated me a little better than the others because I had the brand new fair-haired baby that she continued to steal.  She wanted a blond haired, blue eyed baby and wondered what her chances were now that she married an American. We take turns cooking for the family dinners. ...