J.F.
October 26th 07, 12:34 PM
A US Air Force C-141 is scheduled to leave Thule Air Base, Greenland at
midnight. During the pilot's preflight check, he discovers that the latrine
holding tank is still full from the last flight. So a message is sent to the
base and an airman who was off duty is called out to take care of it.
The young man finally gets to the air base and makes his way to the
aircraft, only to find that the latrine pump truck has been left outdoors
and is frozen solid, so he must find another one in the hangar, which takes
even more time. He returns to the aircraft and is less than enthusiastic
about what he has to do. Nevertheless, he goes about the pumping job
deliberately and carefully (and slowly) so as to not risk criticism later.
As he's leaving the plane, the pilot stops him and says, "Son, your attitude
and performance has caused this flight to be late and I'm going to
personally see to it that you are not just reprimanded but punished."
Shivering in the cold, his task finished, he takes a deep breath, stands up
tall and says, "Sir, with all due respect, I'm not your son; I'm an Airman
in the United States Air Force. I've been in Thule, Greenland for 11 months
without any leave, and reindeer are beginning to look pretty good to me. I
have one stripe; it's two-thirty in the morning, the temperature is 40
degrees below zero and my job here is to pump **** from your aircraft. Now
just exactly what form of punishment did you have in mind?"
midnight. During the pilot's preflight check, he discovers that the latrine
holding tank is still full from the last flight. So a message is sent to the
base and an airman who was off duty is called out to take care of it.
The young man finally gets to the air base and makes his way to the
aircraft, only to find that the latrine pump truck has been left outdoors
and is frozen solid, so he must find another one in the hangar, which takes
even more time. He returns to the aircraft and is less than enthusiastic
about what he has to do. Nevertheless, he goes about the pumping job
deliberately and carefully (and slowly) so as to not risk criticism later.
As he's leaving the plane, the pilot stops him and says, "Son, your attitude
and performance has caused this flight to be late and I'm going to
personally see to it that you are not just reprimanded but punished."
Shivering in the cold, his task finished, he takes a deep breath, stands up
tall and says, "Sir, with all due respect, I'm not your son; I'm an Airman
in the United States Air Force. I've been in Thule, Greenland for 11 months
without any leave, and reindeer are beginning to look pretty good to me. I
have one stripe; it's two-thirty in the morning, the temperature is 40
degrees below zero and my job here is to pump **** from your aircraft. Now
just exactly what form of punishment did you have in mind?"