My Amazing Days on Base

Howdy! So I gave a fun catch up with all the festivities we had been doing out and about this great (and now very cold) state of Alaska! Now to catch up on all the fun I've been having with the other wives in Layne's squadron on base...

wives who came to Blue Carpet Day

Last month we had a full day of fun.  The guys hosted a "Blue Carpet Spouse's Day" event in which we started early in the morning with breakfast and a tour of the squadron.  We were briefed for our day ahead and given some very valuable information on what exactly our husbands were doing every day ( and why they came home very late some days!).  It was very helpful information and I am very grateful for the leadership in this squadron.  The commander is wonderful and is fully focused on family involvement with all of the guys.  We were shown around other areas of the squadron like the infamous and (super secretive) vault!! After our vault tour and briefing, we hustled over to our cars and drove to the tower to watch some of the guys land the jets.  Unfortunately, the brief was a bit long and after the jets circled overhead a number of times they HAD to land for fuel reasons.  We still toured the tower and watched a C-17 and an F-15 land on the runway so that was neat.

view from the tip top of the tower outside! This is some of base and the buildings in the far distance are downtown Anchorage.

We then went to the egress trainer where I was able to gear up into a parachute and simulate opening and maneuvering my parachute to land, just as the pilots would! It also had a cockpit that looked like the F-22 we could sit in, as well as lower grade simulator of the jet to fly.  This particular sim is used to test the pilots oxygen intakes and their ability to function the jet with limited oxygen supply and other similar situations they could be faced with during flights.

in the parachute!

Later we came back to have lunch and take pictures not only with the jet but IN the jet! :D I was stoked!! All the wives were totally excited, as this is a rare (if ever) opportunity for us!

in the cockpit of the F-22! :D

After the pictures we went to another part of base where the guys participate in an even called Red Flag.  Red Flag, to my knowledge happens 2-3 times a year on base and involves many countries and many more pilots! They basically have a mock war to practice and analyze and learn in preparation of the real thing.  It's much more complicated than that, but it's all I know and all I should probably share. ;)  We got to see the red flag building and watch (without audio of course) a previous red air sortie- lemmetellya it's AS CONFUSING AS A WHITE PERSON SPEAKING VIETNAMESE IN SIGN LANGUAGE!!!!!! Every single one of the wives in the room where just overwhelmed at the screen... and that was without the audio!!!!! haha   My appreciation for Layne and all the amazing pilots in the USAF grew tenfold that moment!  We then went to the "hush house" to watch an actual F-22 engine be tested and put into full after burner.  The engine itself is placed into another contraption that is bolted many, many feet into the concrete slab in the ground! There was a safe room off to the side where everyone hung out and watched the engine- then in small groups we were able to go out by the engine! Holy moly it was so cool to be RIGHT NEXT TO THE ENGINE, HOLDING ON FOR DEAR LIFE as it went into FULL AFTERBURNER!!

engine run! I'm in the teal shirt- we were holding on for life! It was unbelievably LOUD and WINDY!

To end that amazing day we had Moose's Tooth pizza and joined in on roll call with the boys! It was hilarious, confusing, and funny- a perfect way to end a perfect day on base in Alaska!

My next awesome event happened 2 weeks ago as the wives were given the opportunity to take a ride in a KC-135 "tanker" to watch some of the jets take an air refuel.  Even though I wouldn't get to see Layne refuel in the air, I jumped at the opportunity! It was a beautiful, crisp Wednesday afternoon that we met up and walked over as the tanker was getting prepared for takeoff.  We loaded up, got a brief run-down of the day, then took off!

Getting ready to take-off!

The "couch" where I was able to view the boom go into the jets! We laid down on either side and watched out of small windows.

Beautiful Alaskan view

What Layne flies over every day! Can you say JEALOUS?!!!

This is the boom going into the jet to refuel.

got to experience this day with my sweet man!

 After all of the jets refueled, it was time to head back to base.  I was given the opportunity to ride in the cockpit and for the first time ever saw and heard everything the pilots get to! I was, again, on cloud 9 as we finished up that day.  =)

in the cockpit ready to head home!

This is my one of my favorite pictures I was able to capture that day...

LET FREEDOM RING!!!! 

 We also had a few nights the Northern Lights came out- they were so bright we could see them from our living room! It was so cool to watch them dance and scatter and move all over! It was like God was waving a glow stick around!!

Layne and I with our neighbors Tricia and Dan!

Needless to say, in the past 2 months I've checked many things off of my Bucket List! ;) 

I am by far the luckiest girl in every way possible.  I am not sure why God is blessing me like he is, but I am ever thankful for it.  I miss my family and friends so very much, but would not trade this time of my life with my new husband for anything!


PS- PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO VOTE!!! LET YOU VOICE BE HEARD AND LETS STAND UP FOR OUR MEN AND WOMEN WHO SERVE/FIGHT/DIE FOR OUR COUNTRY!!! TAKE BACK AMERICA!




TTFN,
Jenni ;)