I read this one yesterday, but haven't had time to comment till now. Thanks for the continuation of the series. You make it so much easier to understand how things fit together. Such as the refueling mechanics - what looks simple and cool to watch is an amazing sequence of actions.
Glad you liked it Barb - for my own part, I found it less than inspiring. I'm attempting to delude myself that it is a "transitional" piece. Building a bridge to what I hope is a more gripping 19, 20 and 21.
Which I only have the vaguest idea where they are going...
Oh wow! I forgot about the kink.
Or maybe I was just repressing that memory.
Do they use KC-130's anymore?
Thanks Lex.
How could you forget the kink? It's repressed, it has to be. 
The Marines still use the KC-130, so the Navy hardly ever gets to use 'em. You know how protective the Corps can be on the topic of Sailors playing with their stuff...
Bad memory- Aluetian Island chain, blue water, Angels 25, o'dark thirty, between solid layers. "The kink- watch the kink (pigtail)..."
I remember during OEF seeing an F-18 slideshow of a bubba that had to put a "basket beat" jet on deck in Pakistan, 1/2 way home. Was that an Iron Maiden incident?
I also didn't like tanking on that stinkin A-7 at night. But of course we didn't have to tank every event!
I'd recommend to that -jg that he drown his sorrows in some "dog" vice PB&J. Ain't dog still one of the major foodgroups underway Lex? 
B2
Actually B2, the Pakistan incident was with a KC-10. Although the -135 is daunting, once you get used to it it's actually easier (although never truly fun). With the KC-10, sometimes the hose take-up reel goes bad and you get that nasty sine wave up to the tanker, then back to your jet, and quicker than you can say (bad)bob's your uncle, you've lost a probe tip and maybe a canopy too.
And dog is still an U/W food group. For the JO's :-(
Us older salts got to make concessions to encroaching years and expanding waistlines
Lex,
Here in downtown Fallujah, we're having a great time reading the ongoing "squid saga!"
My boss here is a former Phantom and Hornet driver (he is, affectionately and in reality, the "old man!"), so he gets a kick out of reading about the carrier trials and tribulations.
Keep it up ... looking forward to the next installment.
Semper Fi!
Wow - Now I'm motivated to write again (and feel giulty at the same time). Great work you guys are doing out there, keep it up!
S/F,
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