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Comment by ulua on February 3, 2014 at 1:00pm

Happy birthday Suzie!  I hope your DS is well soon. Its a blessing he didn't start SERE training if not 100%. Such an intense 2 weeks, my DS lost 12 pounds. Every set back my DS experienced in this process seemed to be that cloud with a silver lining. Best wishes for a happy year ahead.

Comment by CheriH on January 28, 2014 at 10:20pm

Barb, finally heard from my DS.   He says he can pick up a patch tomorrow and put it in the mail.  Do you want him to send it straight to your frame guy?  I know we are cutting it close.  PM me with the details.  

Comment by Paymaster on January 28, 2014 at 9:12pm

Someone asked about the condition of the F-18 pilot.  This was posted in the Navy Times today:

Zoom

The pilot of an F/A-18E Super Hornet from Strike Fighter Squadron 143 is taken from a Navy helicopter to Norfolk Sentara General Hospital on Wednesday in Norfolk, Va. The pilot remained in critical condition as of Thursday morning, a Navy spokesman said. (Steve Earley/The Virginian-Pilot via AP)

The F/A-18 pilot who ejected into the ocean 45 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach, Va., on Jan. 15 has been upgraded to good condition, a Naval Air Force Atlantic spokesman said.

The pilot has been transferred to Naval Medical Center Portsmouth for further treatment, Cmdr. Mike Kafka told Navy Times. He had been listed in critical condition since the crash.

Officials recovered the plane’s black box at the crash site but have not decided whether to recover the wreckage, he said.

The single-seat jet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 143 at Naval Air Station Oceana, was on a training mission Jan. 15 with another aircraft.

The pilot ejected and a life raft deployed, according to a Navy statement. The pilot was initially recovered by a fishing vessel and then picked up by a Navy MH-60 Sea Hawk helicopter and flown to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital.

Kafka said Jan. 15 that the pilot was conscious while being flown to the hospital, but he gave no other details about the crash or why he was in critical condition. The pilot’s name hasn’t been released.

Strike Fighter Squadron 143, the “Pukin’ Dogs” is part of Carrier Air Wing 7, which returned to Virginia last summer following a deployment aboard the aircraft carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower to Europe and the Middle East.

Comment by Barb on January 28, 2014 at 9:55am

Suzie, I know!  Thank you and congratulations on all your DS has accomplished.  I enjoy learning about what is "just ahead"!  We are very excited!

Comment by JudyM on January 26, 2014 at 10:50pm

gonavymom, I do remember the Brazilian pilot. Awesome you will be able to reconnect. That was an amazing time - winging is an event you just don't forget.

Barb, have a great time.

Comment by Barb on January 26, 2014 at 8:22pm

Oh my gosh, thank you so much for the Kingsville winging details. We are so excited! Isn't it amazing all the things that have happened in the course of two years. Wow. Thank you all so much for your support and the camaraderie as we've gone from that Cessna to the Carrier. So many prayers. Best to all.

Comment by MaryD on January 26, 2014 at 2:43pm

Oh my goodness, gonavymom, I made the decision not to see Lone Survivor in the theater because I know I would be a sobbing mess. Reading the book was hard enough! I will wait till it's out on DVD and buy it so I can watch at home.  

 I went to Act of Valor last year (?) with some college students who were with us for the weekend and they kept asking me if i was ok. :) 

Will keep praying for the f18 pilot. I can't find any update beyond the 15th.

Comment by gonavymom on January 26, 2014 at 2:38pm

Barb:  One more thing-try Hall of Frames in Kingsville TX, a business that does a lot of custom aviation framing for the military.  They may be able to get a patch for you. 

Comment by gonavymom on January 26, 2014 at 2:33pm

Hi fellow moms.  I saw Lone Survivor with a friend of mine on Friday.  Her son is training as an Air Force pilot.  Really powerful movie.  We just sat in the theater when it was over, holding hands and sobbing.  I saw one update on the F18 pilot that crashed out of Oceana and it was from the 24th saying that he was still in critical condition so double up on those prayers.  

Barb: Regarding Kingsville winging-congratulations!  JudyM and I met each other at the Kingsville winging last year!  I know you will have a great time and just be beaming with pride.  The night before the winging they had an event on base at the commodore's house.  It was casual and relaxed, beautiful spread hosted by his wife with lots of good food and drink.  We played lawn games!  Make sure you do the sims, I think they really enjoy coaching their families through that.  My DIL was in charge of decorations for the dinner so we spent several hours picking up decorations and decking out the o-club in the luau theme that the aviators picked.  Don't worry if you feel like you can't get a good picture during the actual winging because the Navy photographer does a great job.  My DS was most excited about the party at the K-club later that evening.  The aviators do all the planning for that one and its the first time they get to party with their commanders and instructors as full fledged aviators.  They had a beautiful ice sculpture in the shape of wings which was also used as an ice luge for a drinking game....And they really got a kick out of talking parents to go in the dunk tank chair.  DS was so happy that we were there to experience that party with him and we shut down the K-club at 2AM!  There is a duty officer to drive everyone home of course.

JudyM:  Do you remember the Brazilian pilot from our winging?  My youngest daughter was selected for the US National Division III Womens' Soccer team and they are going to Brazil to play four matches the week before the World Cup. They play the Brazilian Navy in Rio and we get to meet up with Capt. Barbosa!  What a small world!

Comment by June4th on January 26, 2014 at 1:24pm

I just want to say I love following your discussions on here!  My daughter is in NROTC and will service select in March and will not find out until next October if she gets pilot or NFO.  That has been her dream since 6th grade!  You have given my an insight into all you go through and I appreciate it!!

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