Keefe....stealth bomber flyover

[ChicosBailBonds]

Crash

Wouldn't that be a bad luck call sign?

[rocket surgeon]

Wouldn't that be a bad luck call sign?

or like "break a leg" eh'na?

[keefe]

Wouldn't that be a bad luck call sign?

Never, ever try to decipher call signs. Usually, the back story is ugly...

[ChicosBailBonds]

Never, ever try to decipher call signs. Usually, the back story is ugly...

Yes, so I've read.  Though I hear the Navy is the worst in this area....ruthless.


Read this not long ago from an A-10 driver.

Every community and service has its own traditions, so I will only speak for the A-10 community.  I've seen a naming in an F-16 squadron, but I won't say I'm an expert at their process by any means since it seemed very odd, overly complicated, and the person being named was able to play a part in what they were called (what?)

We keep it easy: on a Friday after the new pilot (or FNG) has been in the squadron for a couple months we'll have a Roll Call.  Roll Calls should have their own story, but the short of it is: we all get together to call the roll, tell stories, recall some history and drink. 

After everyone is good and ready we'll kick the FNG out of the room and proceed to tell stories about how he screwed up, did something unprecedented, or how his last name deserves a callsign that fits, i.e. Smith gets "Smitty", or some other appropriate match that makes sense.  There was a trend of callsigns becoming acronyms, (DICE='Dropped It Close Enough), MEAT='Missed Excessively At Twelve' are a couple that come to mind) but that trend is fading and more traditional names have been used lately (Chip, Satan, Brewha, Hummer, Splash, Nightmare, etc).

We aren't as unforgiving as our Navy brethren.  Their names are famously brutal, so hopefully a Naval Aviator can pipe up and give us their explanation!

There are very few rules for what a name can be, as far as it passes the "Nellis Bar Test"--the name can be screamed across the Nellis Bar without making people wince--and the commander approves. 

After we all agree on a name by cheering for the winner, we bring the FNG back into the room, tell him/her their name, and then drink some more.  As soon as you've flown in combat, or along the DMZ in Korea (a caveat necessary due to the amount of time us A-10 drivers spend doing that) your name sticks and you can't be renamed...unless you do something that can't be overlooked.  Examples are few and far between...except for "Tucker"...

[mu03eng]

Yes, so I've read.  Though I hear the Navy is the worst in this area....ruthless.


Read this not long ago from an A-10 driver.

Every community and service has its own traditions, so I will only speak for the A-10 community.  I've seen a naming in an F-16 squadron, but I won't say I'm an expert at their process by any means since it seemed very odd, overly complicated, and the person being named was able to play a part in what they were called (what?)

We keep it easy: on a Friday after the new pilot (or FNG) has been in the squadron for a couple months we'll have a Roll Call.  Roll Calls should have their own story, but the short of it is: we all get together to call the roll, tell stories, recall some history and drink. 

After everyone is good and ready we'll kick the FNG out of the room and proceed to tell stories about how he screwed up, did something unprecedented, or how his last name deserves a callsign that fits, i.e. Smith gets "Smitty", or some other appropriate match that makes sense.  There was a trend of callsigns becoming acronyms, (DICE='Dropped It Close Enough), MEAT='Missed Excessively At Twelve' are a couple that come to mind) but that trend is fading and more traditional names have been used lately (Chip, Satan, Brewha, Hummer, Splash, Nightmare, etc).

We aren't as unforgiving as our Navy brethren.  Their names are famously brutal, so hopefully a Naval Aviator can pipe up and give us their explanation!

There are very few rules for what a name can be, as far as it passes the "Nellis Bar Test"--the name can be screamed across the Nellis Bar without making people wince--and the commander approves. 

After we all agree on a name by cheering for the winner, we bring the FNG back into the room, tell him/her their name, and then drink some more.  As soon as you've flown in combat, or along the DMZ in Korea (a caveat necessary due to the amount of time us A-10 drivers spend doing that) your name sticks and you can't be renamed...unless you do something that can't be overlooked.  Examples are few and far between...except for "Tucker"...

Never got to the naming stage, but it is 100% brutal and you never, EVER ask someone how they got their call sign unless it comes up in their side of the conversation. Besides if you ask someone how they got their call sign, either from their mouth or someone else's in the squadron it will be 137% BS.

[keefe]

Besides if you ask someone how they got their call sign, either from their mouth or someone else's in the squadron it will be 137% BS.

The answer to that question is always started with, "THERE I WAS..."

[keefe]

Yes, so I've read.  Though I hear the Navy is the worst in this area....ruthless.


Read this not long ago from an A-10 driver.

Every community and service has its own traditions, so I will only speak for the A-10 community.  I've seen a naming in an F-16 squadron, but I won't say I'm an expert at their process by any means since it seemed very odd, overly complicated, and the person being named was able to play a part in what they were called (what?)

We keep it easy: on a Friday after the new pilot (or FNG) has been in the squadron for a couple months we'll have a Roll Call.  Roll Calls should have their own story, but the short of it is: we all get together to call the roll, tell stories, recall some history and drink. 

After everyone is good and ready we'll kick the FNG out of the room and proceed to tell stories about how he screwed up, did something unprecedented, or how his last name deserves a callsign that fits, i.e. Smith gets "Smitty", or some other appropriate match that makes sense.  There was a trend of callsigns becoming acronyms, (DICE='Dropped It Close Enough), MEAT='Missed Excessively At Twelve' are a couple that come to mind) but that trend is fading and more traditional names have been used lately (Chip, Satan, Brewha, Hummer, Splash, Nightmare, etc).

We aren't as unforgiving as our Navy brethren.  Their names are famously brutal, so hopefully a Naval Aviator can pipe up and give us their explanation!

There are very few rules for what a name can be, as far as it passes the "Nellis Bar Test"--the name can be screamed across the Nellis Bar without making people wince--and the commander approves. 

After we all agree on a name by cheering for the winner, we bring the FNG back into the room, tell him/her their name, and then drink some more.  As soon as you've flown in combat, or along the DMZ in Korea (a caveat necessary due to the amount of time us A-10 drivers spend doing that) your name sticks and you can't be renamed...unless you do something that can't be overlooked.  Examples are few and far between...except for "Tucker"...

When a 2LT or freshly minted 1LT shows up in the squadron he wears the FNG (f#cking new guy) patch on his flight suit while drinking from the FNG coffee mug until he earns his call sign. Once a call sign is assigned it usually sticks for life unless the owner does something incredibly spectacular to cause his squadron mates to assign a new call sign to commemorate that moment of brilliance.

There are some classics out there but some of the guys I know personally include 'Clete' Torres, 'Dirty' Sanchez, 'Sportin' Wood, 'All Beef' Franks, 'Horse' Koch, 'Scrow' Thom, 'Ima' Cummin, 'Itchy' Rash, 'Test' Ickles, 'Skid' Marks, 'Skid' Roe, 'Paps' Speer, 'Long' Wang, 'Giver' DeKok, 'Frumby' Hein, 'Stinky' Colon, 'Harry' Croutsch, 'Pan T' Shields...   

[rocket surgeon]

When a 2LT or freshly minted 1LT shows up in the squadron he wears the FNG (f#cking new guy) patch on his flight suit while drinking from the FNG coffee mug until he earns his call sign. Once a call sign is assigned it usually sticks for life unless the owner does something incredibly spectacular to cause his squadron mates to assign a new call sign to commemorate that moment of brilliance.

There are some classics out there but some of the guys I know personally include 'Clete' Torres, 'Dirty' Sanchez, 'Sportin' Wood, 'All Beef' Franks, 'Horse' Koch, 'Scrow' Thom, 'Ima' Cummin, 'Itchy' Rash, 'Test' Ickles, 'Skid' Marks, 'Skid' Roe, 'Paps' Speer, 'Long' Wang, 'Giver' DeKok, 'Frumby' Hein, 'Stinky' Colon, 'Harry' Croutsch, 'Pan T' Shields...

  that's funny stuff-can ya just hear the conversation at the cleaver dinner table 1972-the beaver, first time home since he left for flight school- ward and june are wondering why all his friends call him 'clete' torres ?  gee mom, well you and dad had to go and name me da beaver

[ChicosBailBonds]

Saw in my hometown newspaper that a local boy was flying one of those jets.  Very cool for a Broncos fan, I'm sure.

I think you are originally from Colorado?  My condolences.  Capt. Kuss was tragically killed today in practice.

http://www.durangoherald.com/article/20160602/NEWS01/160609912/Durangoan-killed-in-Blue-Angels-crash-in-Tennessee


In a very strange coincidence, one of the Air Force Thunderbirds also crashed today, but the pilot survived.