when I was in, that fire retardant foam ate paint if it sat for more than an hour. everything in that hangar will probably have to be repainted, and it won't be the jackass who set off the fire suppression system. that was probably a lieutenant.
My newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant nephew (USMA '20) is about to become an armor officer. Hopefully, the armor basic course will teach him just how much he doesn't know.
When I went through AOB at Knox, there was too much time spent on things like the Army Writing System, as it was called in those days, and too little time spent in the field. The course has moved to Benning where there's probably a little more maneuver area and there are now a lot of NCOs with mounted combat experience that can get their new officers set up for success. Hope your nephew gets some good follow-on courses, some great NCOs as trainers, and a first assignment that gives him a chance to spend as much time as possible with troops. The command opportunities for armor officers are few but tell him to stay - always stay - on the track that keeps him closest to troops. Once you get sucked into successive staff roles that take you far away from the motor pool, there's almost no chance of going back. Your tanking days will be numbered.
Then tell him to go take care of his troops like his life depended on it.
When you were in, who was in charge of maintaining fire suppression systems and who was tasked with training lieutenants? Just asking because maybe something has changed since I retired.
That stuff is corrosive as noted in other comments. I worked on a project salvaging a C-5A that had a fire and was filled with foam and left to sit while the AF figured out what it wanted to do. We got it cleaned up but corrosion was everywhere. I think that bird was one of the first they scrapped when they started reducing the fleet.
“accidentally”
ReplyDeletewhen I was in, that fire retardant foam ate paint if it sat for more than an hour. everything in that hangar will probably have to be repainted, and it won't be the jackass who set off the fire suppression system. that was probably a lieutenant.
ReplyDelete2nd Lieutenant
DeleteMy newly commissioned 2nd Lieutenant nephew (USMA '20) is about to become an armor officer. Hopefully, the armor basic course will teach him just how much he doesn't know.
DeleteBeat Navy! I’m USMA ‘94.
DeleteWhen I went through AOB at Knox, there was too much time spent on things like the Army Writing System, as it was called in those days, and too little time spent in the field. The course has moved to Benning where there's probably a little more maneuver area and there are now a lot of NCOs with mounted combat experience that can get their new officers set up for success. Hope your nephew gets some good follow-on courses, some great NCOs as trainers, and a first assignment that gives him a chance to spend as much time as possible with troops. The command opportunities for armor officers are few but tell him to stay - always stay - on the track that keeps him closest to troops. Once you get sucked into successive staff roles that take you far away from the motor pool, there's almost no chance of going back. Your tanking days will be numbered.
DeleteThen tell him to go take care of his troops like his life depended on it.
Allen,
DeleteWhen you were in, who was in charge of maintaining fire suppression systems and who was tasked with training lieutenants? Just asking because maybe something has changed since I retired.
They should take comfort in the fact that the suppression system USED TO WORK.
ReplyDeleteYeah, just like a few years ago when those parachutes failed and pancaked those HMMV's all over the landscape.
ReplyDeletethose birds will have to be scrapped.
ReplyDeleteThat stuff is corrosive as noted in other comments. I worked on a project salvaging a C-5A that had a fire and was filled with foam and left to sit while the AF figured out what it wanted to do. We got it cleaned up but corrosion was everywhere. I think that bird was one of the first they scrapped when they started reducing the fleet.
ReplyDeleteWell the foam system works and nothing burned. Whats a few million dollars between taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteR