European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 07, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Covers tory from Fate cover aircraft fraternity in the not too Distant future. Women pilots arc coming said capt. Mark Tex Wilkins. It s going to happen. It s just a mat Ter of time. People have prejudices and eventually those things go Wilkins has noticed a change in the atmosphere in Squadron bars and believes that there will be More adjustments made once women pilots join the ranks. There is a lot of tradition there and i think that will be lost Wilkins said. One of those traditions is the infrequent but Al ways popular Friday night initiation ceremony for pilots new to a Squadron. Pilots must pass a flight evaluation period that typically lists about two months. If successful the fliers arc declared Mission fellow Squadron pilots Welcome the new inductee at initiation night which includes the selection of a Call sign essentially a nickname that identifies the flier. It s an exciting time especially the voting turn or said. It s a noise Turner would t elaborate on what happens Dur ing the ceremony though he did say that the menu for newcomers consists of Beer and a Boneless Chick in. The latter item is a raw egg that is consumed Shell and All Turner said. There s no dribbling or you have to do another one.". It symbolizes the unborn Eagle Turner said re Ferring Nohe nickname of the f-15. The 53rd fighter so bar at Pitburg is a carpeted Wood panelled room. It includes a shuffle Board Bowling game that sometimes doubles As a Buffet table. Engraved in the High gloss 3-Inch-thick Oak bar top Are the names and Call signs of pilots who have flown for the 53rd since the Early 1960s. At the base of the bar is a Metal foot rest made from 20 my gun barrels taken from an Early Model f-15. Behind the bar Are mementos including a Large brass Bell that is rung for any violation of bar rules. A breach of bar etiquette ranges from bringing paperwork into the room to wearing a hat. On the Walls Are plaques and pictures but what draws the most attention is the stuffed head of a. Bengal Tiger from India. The Squadron s Mascot is a Tiger. A plaque fixed to the trophy explains that the Tiger killed at least three people before it was shot in december 1952. Near the Bengal Tiger is a plywood door taken from the Squadron s operations tent when it deployed to Al Kha saudi Arabia for the persian Gulf War. Some 40 pilots signed the door which contains an illustration of an f-15 shooting an aim 7 radar missile at an iraqi Jet. The door s dominant feature is by the Tail lettering on All Pitburg jets. Among the mementos behind the bar is a 1978 bottle of russian Champagne reserved for the first Tiger to shoot Down a russian its predecessor was popped by capt. Jay Denney the first 53rd s4s John bomb or capt. Bob gonzo Hughes up against the 512th fighter so bar at Ramstein a Germany. Is John Bohuw u. Col. Bob Tooey Turner and Pitburg Squadron bar door marked daring the Gulf War. Flier to downed a Mig during the Gulf War. Denney is now stationed at Nellis fab Nev. Denney surprised his former colleagues by saving the bottle of Champagne for a gathering he held at his new Home following a Green Flag flying exercise at Nellis in february 1992. He gave the Squadron members the bottle of Champagne that now resides behind the bar. The gesture is indicative of the special Bond pilots forge through hours of training for combat. Such training served the pilots of the 53rd Well during the Gulf War when the Squadron recorded 11 kills. The idea that pilots spend All of their air time zooming around without a specific purpose or game plan is wrong said it. Col. Terry Hubba new commander of the 512th fighter so at Ramstein a Germany. I think the biggest misconception is that they take off Fly land and go Home new said. It s actually very regimented in what we do Wil Kins said. We Are not out there haphazardly Buz zing capt. Brian Tonka Egger of the 512 said the Issue is exaggerated. You re no different than a Guy who works at a Bank and loves his Egger and his fellow Squadron members Congre Gate in a room that is not As Homey looking As the one used by the 53rd. The furnishings include a stiff looking Couch and easy chairs that Haven t seen much action. Along the ceiling Are strips of velcro affixed with scores of flight suit patches that fighter pilots have left behind Over the last two decades. It s our link to the past maj. Mike to Beale an f-16 Pilot said of the bar. It s our place to relax and unwind. It s not a hardcore bar to go to and the feature attractions Are a Wood panelled bar and fuss Ball table. Constructed three years ago out of plywood the bar looks too new not to worry about spills. Over the bar is a Bell that when rung signifies that someone owes present company a round of drinks. Squadron members mainly pilots often gravitate to the fuss Ball table at the end of the Day to vent their frustrations and regroup for tomorrow. We Don t have any darts capt. Thomas to Miller said. They took All of the Sharp objects away from pilots do lob verbal darts at one another. These missiles Fly fast and furious during Mission ready ceremonies. What about those nicknames usually it s something dumb dangerous or Dif Ferent said capt. Bob gonzo Hughes of the 512th. Fly Irv Flynn Aims to join flyby fraternity Hon 1st it. Jeannie Flynt finishes her training in an f-15e strike Eagle there is a one in three Chance of her Landing with the 48th fighter Wing at Raf Lakin Heath England. Flynn is the leading candidate to become the first female fighter Pilot in the . Air Force. Barring any delays she is due to finish her conversion train ing from a t-38 Talon to a f-15e in february. If she makes the Grade Flynn would a key be As signed to an operational unit that has f-15es, said it. Col. Jeff Patton operations officer for the 53rd fighter so at Pitburg a Germany. Besides Laken Heath f-15es operate out of Seymour Johnson ,, and Mountain Home fab Idaho. Early reports is that she is doing extremely Well said maj. Deborah Bosick an air Force spokeswoman in Washington. She does t need any More pressure on her Trust me so just say that she is doing defense Secretary Les Aspin ordered the military services on april 28 to permit women to Fly combat missions. The Navy had been developing plans to permit women to serve aboard virtually All of its ships within four years. In contrast the air Force had announced that it planned to end combat Pilot training for women. Air Force chief of staff Gen. Merrill Tony Mcpeak had labelled the idea of women combat pilots As a mistake and a bad Flynn is one of five women training to become air Force fighter pilots to sick said. Three of the women Are on Active duty status. A fourth is with the air Force National guard. The other is in a Reserve unit. Another six women on Active duty status Are sex pc Ted to undergo training Jetrue a Tenn in the next two years. None of the women in training were willing to consent to an interview Bosick said. Two of the women Are training to Fly f-15es. The other three Are vying for an assignment in f-16 fighting Falcons. When the Barrier is finally broken the scrutiny May Well shift to whatever fighter Squadron the women Are assigned to. Like anyone else entering a fighter Squadron you have to establish yourself Patton said. It might be a tougher Road to Patton declined to reveal what he Personalty thinks of the idea saying the decision to let women have this Opportunity has already been made. They Are on the Way Patton said. There in t much we can do about it. It s one of those things that you just have to reorient your it s a lot different environment than it was 15 years ago said it col Terry new Squadron com Mander for the 512th fighter so at Ramstein a Germany. We Are a reflection of our society. We serve that society. We arc not a military just off. Doing our own with the Advent of women fighter pilots seemingly right around the Corner air bases will have to make adjustments to accommodate females. The changes would Range from facility changes to possibly equip ment to initiation ceremonies held to Welcome new pilots into the fold. Ready or not the All male club of combat fighter pilots will open their cockpit hatches to women. Said air Force col. Bruce Wright 86th operations group commander the Only Guys left after us Are the Catholic Kevin Dougherty Page sunday november 1993
