While I understand your pride in accomplishment as well as your
rationale of going to a combat system, I've got to say that my reading
of the papers (as well as encounters with a lot of Ego and Viper
types) would seem to indicate that both Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom
(as well as the Afghan and Bosnia excursions) have had more than
enough opportunity for the tactical types to get a whiff of gunpowder.


Ed, I never said the other numerous AF platforms haven't contributed, but no
aircraft, save the B-1B, has struck as many targets since 1995 as the B-52.
Additionally, since 1995, there has never been more than 45 operational B-52
aircrew at any one time. Your odds of getting deployed in an actual conflict
are astronomically higher than in every weapons system except the Bone or the
U-2. I've been friends with an F-16 pilot since 1997 and (at least prior to
OIF) he had not dropped a weapon in anger. So, once again, I'll state that if
your goal is to defend this country by being involved in its conflicts, your
best bet is a BUFF.

Might we be a bit parochial here?

Not at all. Just some good natured "chest pumping"


BUFDRVR

"Stay on the bomb run boys, I'm gonna get those bomb doors open if it harelips
everyone on Bear Creek"