On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:43:02 -0500, in
alt.alien.vampire.flonk.flonk.flonk, Tim Weaver
bloviated:

Aratzio wrote:

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:23:49 -0500, in
alt.alien.vampire.flonk.flonk.flonk, Tim Weaver
bloviated:

Aratzio wrote:

On Wed, 13 Aug 2008 10:12:42 -0500, in
alt.alien.vampire.flonk.flonk.flonk, Tim Weaver
bloviated:

Blanche wrote:

Yes, the rocks are a problem. But more critical is the ash floating
in the atmosphere. The Navy did a study back in the 70s and discovered
that the ash completely fouled all mechanical equipment - car & truck
engines in particular. They had to be completely stripped down and
cleaned before usable.

Why would any of this be of interest to the military? Don't they just
hold a gun over their heads while running for a couple of hours, then
call it a day?

You are confusing the USAF with the military.

Which is part of the military. Sheesh...

Only in the sense that they are under the DoD. Imagining that the USAF
runs around with guns is just silly.

Planes have guns. So, they just hold planes over their heads and run. Same
thing.

And are you trying to say that in all of the USAF not one person has so much
as one side arm?

They all have one arm on each side.

But as a general rule USAF are weaponless. They are issued weapons
over in the ME and get some additional training but mostly they are
just support for the aircraft outside the ME. AP have weapons and a
few other ops types.

They are using USAF types for convoy guards in Iraq. When USAF are
carrying weapons in semi-combat situations you are pretty much ****ed.
I know I would not want to be any sort of army/marine combat type and
know that usaf have live personal weapons near me.