1
Apr
2014
As a pilot, I know that helicopters have vibrations. Heck, every vehicle has vibrations — some good, some bad. The point is you have to be able to determine if you should continue the mission, return to base or, in our case, just land!
I linked up with a few riding buddies to enjoy the sun on our motorcycles. Little did I know that I soon “connect” with nature in a way I hope to never experience again.
Simulated combat scenarios, such as those that occur during training exercises, should not be an excuse to ignore technical manual instructions. Doing so could have deadly consequences, like what occurred in the incident described in this article.
I was excited about the flight. The commander and I would fly to the site — I as the PC and he as my co-pilot — recon it, refuel, have lunch and return. I was confident in my abilities to handle any situation and wanted to show him what I could do.
Outside of combat, few endeavors are as fraught with danger as driving. Each year, there are more than 30,000 traffic fatalities in America. It almost makes the run to Kabul look sane.
Soldiers believe we are immune to “Murphy.” If the “I-won’t-get-hurt-because-I-won’t-allow-it-to-happen” mentality sounds familiar, keep reading.