About Us
Mission Statement
Rules of Conduct
 
Name:
Pswd:
Remember Me
Register
 

Ask a Vet
Author: TriSec    Date: 01/28/2020 10:53:21

Good Morning.

We'll reflect a moment today on a horrific aircraft crash where several heroes died.



While much of America was gnashing teeth and rending garments over the helicopter crash that killed seven people in California, another aircraft crashed thousands of miles away where nobody noticed.


The chief of staff of the Air Force has confirmed reports from the Taliban that a U.S. military aircraft crashed in Afghanistan earlier Monday.

Speaking to a group at an event hosted by the Center for a New American Security, Gen. David Goldfein said the plane that went down was an Air Force E-11A Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, or BACN, aircraft.

According to earlier reports, the plane crashed in Ghazni province to the east. Ghazni has been under majority Taliban control since 2015, shortly after U.S. combat forces formally drew down in Afghanistan.

Local journalist Tariq Ghazniwal reported that the crash took place about 10 kilometers, or 6 miles, outside of an unspecified U.S. military base, according to an Associated Press report. It's not yet clear how many were aboard or if any casualties were sustained.

"It appears we have lost an aircraft. We don't know the status of the crew," Goldfein said, adding the Central Command officials are in contact with relevant parties to investigate the situation.

U.S. Forces-Afghanistan spokesman Army Col. William "Sonny" Leggett confirmed on Twitter the crash was not the result of hostile fire.

"There are no indications the crash was caused by enemy fire," Leggett said. "[The] Taliban claims that additional aircraft have crashed are false."

The general urged caution on initial reports coming out over social media and other outlets.

"In my experience ... first reports? Always wrong," Goldfein said.

A U.S. official told Fox News there were fewer than five people aboard the aircraft when it went down.


"Hero" is a considerably over-used term in these United States. Seems to me that anybody does anything even remotely "heroic", and they are branded with that title instantly in the media. What do our friends at Merriam Webster have to say about this?


Definition of hero (Entry 1 of 3)
1a: a mythological or legendary figure often of divine descent endowed with great strength or ability
b: an illustrious warrior
c: a person admired for achievements and noble qualities
d: one who shows great courage


I suppose the famous person that lost his life in the California crash might fall in line with definition 1c. But as a former member of my local professional team once observed, "I'm a grown man that gets paid to wear shorts and play with a ball." (Kevin McHale)

We will keep it short today. It is January 28, and as you'll see in a few minutes on the book of face, I always post an annual remembrance. Remember too, that to this day, most of the people that fly and ride in manned spacecraft have a military background.

REMEMBER CHALLENGER


http://www.astronautix.com/graphics/s/shutlan2.jpg


Commander Dick Scobee - USAF
Pilot Michael Smith - USN
Payload Specialist Greg Jarvis - USAF
Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka - USN
Mission Specialist Ron McNair - Civilian
Mission Specialist Judy Resnick - Civilian
TISP Christa McAuliffe - Civilian


 
 

2 comments (Latest Comment: 01/28/2020 14:21:20 by wickedpam)
   Perma Link

Share This!

Furl it!
Spurl
NewsVine
Reddit
Technorati