Marine Jets: The Good, Bad, and Ugly.

[feddoc]

The Marines in Iwakuni liked to 'appropriate' any bikes that happened to be sitting around, whether they owned them or not. That included ones with locks, it went from mildly amusing to full stupid. Brett was among the victims.

That's too bad, about the bike. No one likes to get shit stolen. Brett looks quite fetching whilst riding, eh?

 

[Brett327]

It's what I've come to expect from Marines.

 

[jarhead]

After Iwakuni opened the new runway, they closed down the old one. So Iwakuni is still single runway with the outboard taxiway being used as an emergency "runway" with arresting gear. The place will be very busy when the Navy shows up. Of course, I'm sure all of the new construction is for the Navy. The Marines will stay in their 50 year old, asbestos filled hangers.

Sidenote, the nine hole golf course at Iwakuni was shutdown early last year. And when I left, everybody had to be out of the bars in town by midnight...everybody.

Brett...don't hate... "gear adrift is a gift..." (even if there is a lock on it!). I would park my bike in my Q room to ensure it wasn't stolen. Sad.

 

[squeeze]

What?!? They shutdown the golf course? Why? That's about the only thing to do on that base (besides the O'club). Based on it's condition in 09, it couldn't have taken that much $ to keep going.

 

[Erin M.]

Reviving this thread.

I'm heading to the boat very soon and only have BFM remaining after, so I should be finishing and selecting, either late June or early July.

I'm trying to put together a reasonable picture of life in Cherry Point/Yuma/Miramar/Beaufort . I've been to all those places, but only briefly and am not able to adequately describe the locales to my wife .

For those who have are out at these places now, what do you enjoy about the places? What do you dislike?

 

[pourts]

Reviving this thread.

I'm heading to the boat very soon and only have BFM remaining after, so I should be finishing and selecting, either late June or early July.

I'm trying to put together a reasonable picture of life in Cherry Point/Yuma/Miramar/Beaufort . I've been to all those places, but only briefly and am not able to adequately describe the locales to my wife .

For those who have are out at these places now, what do you enjoy about the places? What do you dislike?

Marine Corps is very low on Hornet pilots right now, so you probably have a better chance to select that than any time in the recent past. If you are not smart enough to put Miramar as your first choice, then I suppose you will be doing the rest of your classmates a favor. I was in Beaufort for a fleet tour, and it was OK. Yuma is OK except for twice a year during WTI. Cherry Point is my least favorite of the 4. The runway sucks, the air-to-ground ranges suck (same with Beaufort), you are too close to the flagpole, and I prefer the towns of Beaufort and Yuma to the greater Cherry Point/ Camp Lejeune area.

 

[Erin M.]

Miramar is currently my number 1. I loved San Diego, and my wife is out there right now for a wedding and she is loving it. I would be absolutely ecstatic if I could be gifted with a Miramar slot. I'm surprised that the Marine Corps needs Hornet pilots because from our limited perspective in Orange and white land, Hornet slots have become extremely rare, and most dudes are getting Harriers or Prowlers. We've also been told that the wait for the Hornet rag is very long because it is so backed up. So, honestly, throughout flight school I've felt like Hornets were a pipe dream.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Miramar is currently my number 1. I loved San Diego, and my wife is out there right now for a wedding and she is loving it. I would be absolutely ecstatic if I could be gifted with a Miramar slot. I'm surprised that the Marine Corps needs Hornet pilots because from our limited perspective in Orange and white land, Hornet slots have become extremely rare, and most dudes are getting Harriers or Prowlers. We've also been told that the wait for the Hornet rag is very long because it is so backed up. So, honestly, throughout flight school I've felt like Hornets were a pipe dream.

I don't know how it is now, but I doubt it is any quicker 4+ years later. I showed up to -101, checked in late April, and was told that I wouldn't class up until September and to enjoy the summer. It was like A pool but 1000 times better, with a lot more money to burn. Miramar is the promised land, and if I hadn't been a Navy dude, I would have tried to stay there forever.

 

[Erin M.]

Just had my last flight and soft-winged today. Submitting my preferences tomorrow!

I'll find out in a few weeks where I am going.

 

[wlawr005]

Congrats...only Marine in our winging class got 18D's in Japan/RAG in Miramar. He classes up in September.

 

[Erin M.]

Yeah, we had only one Marine in the last class and he is going Hornets Beaufort. There are 3 of us this time around, so no telling how everything shakes out.

 

[Erin M.]

Also, congratulations, again. Really awesome that all you guys finished out there on the boat!

 

[wlawr005]

SEM isn't a bad way to finish The boat kinda felt like a culminating event though...I was proud to finish out there.

 

[Erin M.]

I just selected Hornets - Beaufort, my number 2. Super happy!

 

[Fallonflyr]

I just selected Hornets - Beaufort, my number 2. Super happy!

Outstanding! Congratulations.