Hi All

[peter taft]

Originally Posted by Ashrunner

Pete...when I was at Kincheloe AFB (a SAC base in northern Michigin - KC-135s and B-52H aircraft), I was nearing the end of my first enlistment in the Air Force. I was working aircraft refueling at the time and my boss kept asking me if I was going to reenlist or not. I always shrugged my shoulder and went about my business. One day I got tired of his asking and said, "I will reenlist under one condition...I get sworn in while riding in a B-52 flying at 45,000 feet over the North Pole."

I was joking around but three days, he came up to me and said, "I got you the flight, and the aircraft commander will swear you in over the pole, but it won't be at 45,000 feet," or something like that. I said, "You're kidding?" and then the phone rang. The phone call basically said that anyone planning to get out in the near future would be on hold until the current crisis was over. It was the 1973 Mideast War which brought on the situation.

A week later, everyone was told they were released to normal duty status. I was then a week away from being separated and went ahead with joining civilian life. I sure wish I had reenlisted back then and took the flight. As it turned out, I reenlisted 15 months later, but ended up with a much better job.

I would have been happy just to clean those beauties out - but to be in one at any altitude would be a BUZZ in a BUFF for sure. Shame you didn't get the ride you wanted, but like you say, you got a better job in the end :D