Foot In Mouth Syndrome
By sconibear
@sconibear (8016)
United States
January 13, 2009 9:56am CST
a friend of mine just sent me this email.......pretty cool
[i]
True Story....
Luke AFB is west of Phoenix and is rapidly being surrounded by civilization that complains about the noise from the base and its planes, forgetting that it was there long before they were. A certain lieutenant colonel at Luke AFB deserves a big pat on the back. Apparently, an individual who lives somewhere near Luke AFB wrote the local paper complaining about a group of F-16s that disturbed his/her day at the mall.
When that individual read the response from a Luke AFB officer, it must Have stung quite a bit.
The complaint:
'Question of the day for Luke Air Force Base:
Whom do we thank for the morning air show? Last Wednesday, at precisely 9:11 A.M, a tight formation of four F-16 jets made a low pass over Arrowhead Mall, continuing west over Bell Road at approximately 500 feet. Imagine our good fortune! Do the Tom Cruise-wannabes feel we need this wake-up call, or were they trying to impress the cashiers at Mervyns early bird special?
Any response would be appreciated.
The response:
Regarding 'A wake-up call from Luke's jets' On June 15, at precisely 9:12 a.m., a perfectly timed four- ship fly by of F-16s from the 63rd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base flew over the grave of Capt. Jeremy Fresques. Capt Fresques was an Air Force officer who was previously stationed at Luke Air Force Base and was killed in Iraq on May 30, Memorial Day.
At 9 a. m. on June 15, his family and friends gathered at Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City to mourn the loss of a husband, son and friend. Based on the letter writer's recount of the fly by, and because of the jet noise, I'm sure you didn't hear the 21-gun salute, the playing of taps, or my words to the widow and parents of Capt. Fresques as I gave them their son's flag on behalf of the President of the United States and all those veterans and servicemen and women who understand the sacrifices they have endured..
A four-ship fly by is a display of respect the Air Force gives to those who give their lives in defense of freedom. We are professional aviators and take our jobs seriously, and on June 15 what the letter writer witnessed was four officers lining up to pay their ultimate respects.
The letter writer asks, 'Who m do we thank for the morning air show? The 56th Fighter Wing will make the call for you, and forward your thanks to the widow and parents of Capt Fresques, and thank them for you, for it was in their honor that my pilots flew the most honorable formation of their lives.
Only 2 defining forces have ever offered to die for you....Jesus Christ and the American Soldier.
One died for your soul, the other for your freedom.
Lt. Col. Grant L. Rosensteel, Jr.
USAF [/i]
discuss if you wish....
4 people like this
9 responses
@Little_Stormy (6883)
• United States
13 Jan 09
*standing ovation!*
sometimes.. there just aren't any thing to add to perfection!
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
14 Jan 09
Oh Wow! that is deep. It will teach some to respect what they do. I bet this person indeed felt like a clod..I wonder if they ever wrote back to apologize since they were so in a rush to criticize I wonder if she took the time to say sorry.
1 person likes this
@mtdewgurl74 (18151)
• United States
15 Jan 09
Hey..thanks. I would like to read up on that..
1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
14 Jan 09
hi gurlie,
yeah, if you look at MonkO's response he put a link to Snopes which contains the entire newspaper posting, including an apology that the complainer wrote 4 days later.
but still.........GEEEEEEEEZ!!!
1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
13 Jan 09
no......only one of ME can ALWAYS be right riyasam. 
................'76!!!
................'76!!!1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
14 Jan 09
actually, the email i received says "PASS IT ON" so by all means.
1 person likes this
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
13 Jan 09
yeah.... there's a pig farm out here in Vegas WAY out in the middle of desert nothingness.......and now there starting to build houses and schools around it, and surprise, surprise, people are complaining about the smell and want the farm to move.
the pig farm has been there since like the 40s or 50s and they want him to move.
some people. 
@uath13 (8192)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Some people really need a kick in the teeth. They have no common sense & show no respect for others. How stupid can this country get? I'll lay you odds that since they now outnumber the farmer they'll create some community legislation that will force him out.
1 person likes this
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
13 Jan 09
Heartbreaking and sobering, Sconi. My daughter is a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Australian Air Force - and her fiance, an RAAF engineer, left for Afghanistan last Tuesday for a tour of duty. We wish him Godspeed, and the same to all our men and women serving both overseas and at home. Sometimes our petty grievances mean so little ...
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
13 Jan 09
your daughter and her fiance ROCK guy.
i used to work out by Nellis Air Force Base here in Las Vegas, and i thought it was awesome to watch the fighter jets go through their maneuvers.
@guybrush (4658)
• Australia
13 Jan 09
There's nothing like watching military aircraft, Sconi. When I was a little girl we lived in a city where the main runway of the airport started right next to the highway. On weekends we'd go out and park by the side of the road to watch the Mirages coming in to land. They often broke the sound barrier over the city - it was amazing. My daughter now works at that very air base - though the Mirages have long been decommissioned. Funny how things turn out!
@bobmnu (8157)
• United States
13 Jan 09
Great response by the Col. This is happening all over America as people move into an area and expect everyone around them to change. I had a friend who lived in a small New England community and they were trying to attract business. A few couples (Retired) moved in from Boston or New York City and tried to get zoning laws enacted that would have required people to maintain their house in the traditional look, even if they could not afford to do so. They also blocked a developer from converting an old warehouse to an office complex because that was not in the flavor of a small New England town that the new residents wanted.
To many of the residents around Luke AFB the fly over was a sober reminder that one of their own had passed away. Like the people who moved to the small New England town the new people wanted everyone to change to fit their mold. People need traditions to understand their roots. To new comers learn the history and customs of the community before you try to force changes on it.
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
13 Jan 09
well said.
the newcomers need to realize that the area their moving into probably has locals, businesses, and customs already established that go back for generations.
one person's perceived idea of what the "perfect" community should be like may not be the view of the people who were already there.
@CRIVAS (1815)
• Canada
14 Jan 09
Okay, whoever wrote this complaint is probably very embarassed. I know that I would be. First of all if you don't want to hear the noise, why would you move there in the first place? Secondly, if this occured in the middle of the night and scared residents witless, I could understand some small degree of inconvinence. However in broad daylight, seriously? Come one people, are you so bored with your lives that you feel the need to pick a fight with everyone? To the writer of the complaint and others like him/her I have only one thing to say: GROW UP!
@sconibear (8016)
• United States
14 Jan 09
well if you look at MonkO's link above, it does appear the complainer apologized 4 days later.
but what you say is right on the money........i think it's COOL to see 4 fighter jets fly by in formation.
