#public recreation facilities

[townpostin]

Adityapur Municipal Corporation Launches Park Beautification Drive

Administrator Warns Against Political Interference in Development Projects AMC’s comprehensive plan aims to transform local parks into modern recreational spaces, enhancing community well-being and urban aesthetics. JAMSHEDPUR – The Adityapur Municipal Corporation (AMC) has initiated an ambitious project to revitalize parks across its jurisdiction, focusing on four key locations. AMC…

[achromic-red-dreams-doze-angrily]

Saw a bill refer to physical disabilities as "functional diversity" which is a very interesting perspective. Is this a common phrase in legalese/statutory English and/or Spanish, or is Puerto Rico just an outlier?

[haunt-the-ikea]

I’ve lived in and totally understand the hate for American suburbs (suburban sprawl, neighborhood detached from everything else, identical garage front houses, too big lawns, chain restaurants, driving everywhere, no public transit, 40 minutes from the city) but also I do live in and love an American suburb (walkable neighborhood, historic homes and apartments, good use of alleys and outdoor spaces, 15 min from downtown, integrated with city bus system, basically a small town that’s conveniently close to a food and music scene).

[bigvolcano]

Take a walk in the park: new upgraded playground at Recreation Ground opens

A newly upgraded, inclusive playground at Recreation Ground at Tweed Heads was officially opened on March 15th, providing much-needed play space for young families in the most populated area of the Tweed Shire.

Endless fun for families at new play space in Tweed Heads The newly upgraded park at Recreation Street, Tweed Heads was officially opened today. The upgrade includes larger and more challenging play equipment for kids, a shade structure for sun protection, natural play integration into the landscape and access improvements through the play space. A newly upgraded, inclusive playground at…

[bet-on-me-13]

Captive AU

So, the GIW has been around for a while.

Ghosts have been a problem for centuries, the US Government wouldn't have waited until the 21st Century to figure out a way to deal with them, so the GIW has been around for years. And the general Public knows about them, it's a common household name like the FBI or the CIA. They are simply seen as another government organization doing its job, no need to care about the Ghosts they capture, they're Non-Sentient anyways.

Over the years of their existence, they have acquired their own little prison full of Ghosts. And among that collection of Ghosts, 4 stand out.

Because they are somehow Ghost-Human Hybrids.

The first was captured a while before the others. A College Student studying Ectology had been admitted to the Hospital after a Lab Accident, where he had been diagnosed with an, as of yet, unknown and incurable Disease. He had Green Boils popping up all over his Face, and he was in excruciating Pain.

The GIW had sent a team to investigate, and they had found that the College Student was slowly transforming into some type of abomination. He was still partially human, but he was also partially a Ghost. They had him declared Dead and shipped him off to a Blacksite Facility to be experimented on.

...

The Second One came about 10 years later. Coincidentally, it was very similar circumstances. The very same pair of scientists who had been acquainted with their previous subject had just admitted their 5 Yr old son into a local Hospital. He had been in a Lab Accident that had stopped his Heart for a few minutes, and out of curiosity the GIW had sent a Team to investigate.

And what did they find, but a perfect recreation of their favorite Test Subject.

They declared the Child Dead, and sent him off to the same Facility they kept the other one in.

...

The 3rd of the Hybrids was actually created in a GIW Lab, 3 Years Later. In an experiment to see if the Hybrids condition could be recreated, a GIW Scientist had taken the DNA of the 2 existing Hybrids and had cloned them.

Of the Test Batch of 15, only 1 Subject survived. It was deemed only a Partial Success, because while they did manage to create a New Hybrid, it was Unstable and prone to melting if overexerted.

They placed it in the same Containment Unit as the other 2, and left it at that. No more Cloning Experiments had been conducted afterwards since the project was deemed an overall Failure.

...

The 4th and Final Hybrid was found in Gotham City of all places, 2 years later.

A GIW Operative had been visiting Family when their Van's Ecto-Detector had gone off. Soon after that they found the Subject in an Alleyway, seemingly disoriented from its recent awakening.

DNA testing had revealed the Hybrid to be deceased Jason Peter Todd, the adopted Son of Bruce Wayne who had been killed 6 Months Prior while studying in Ethiopia. By the Scientists Best Guess, an Anomoly in Space-Time had caused a Natural Portal to open right on top of the Teenagers Corpse, fusing his Deceased Body and nearly formed Ghost into One.

They shipped the Teen off to the Blacksite, and placed him in the same Containment Unit as the others.

...

So now the GIW have 4 Hybrids, all created from different circumstances, all different ages.

One was formed from the Slow Death of a College Age Student, after a Lab Accident had flooded his system with Pure Ectoplasm.

One was form from the Instant Death of a 5 yr old Boy, after a Lab Accident had flooded his Body with a dimensions worth of Ectoplasm.

One was created in a GIW Lab in a Cloning Experiment. She was created to be 3 Yrs Old upon Birth, and was Unstable as a Result.

One was created from the Fusion of a Long Dead Teenage Corpse and a nearly formed Ghost, in a random Space Time Event that forced both together.

...

All the Halfas are basically a Family together. Vlad is the oldest, at around 35, and takes the Paternal Role.

Danny and Ellie are the Kids, and are 10 and 5 respectively.

Jason is the Oldest Child, and takes his Older Brother role very seriously. He is 15 when he is brought in.

They all take care of eachother, through all the experiments and tests the GIW force them through.

One of the most common experiments is to have them battle the other Ghosts in Captivity. Although that is just a thinly veiled dog fighting ring that the GIW scientists like to Bet on. Sometimes they are put up against eachother, but they refuse to fight until they are electrocuted into submission.

They were also forced to Push all of their Powers to their Limits every day, just so the Scientist can see how they are growing. This had drained them, since they only got the absolute minimum amount of Ecto to survive off of, and they were forced to use it all up every day.

This goes on for 3 more years.

...

Until the day when the GIW messed up.

During one of their Constant Dog Fights, they had made the mistake of putting two Electricity Core Ghosts against eachother. The resulting battle had created an Electromagnetic Wave that fried all systems in the entire Facility.

It was a Disaster. Dozens of Scientists were killed when the Door Locks failed to contain the captive Ghosts, and even more were injured when a few of the Ghosts managed to break into the Armory on Base.

It was only hours after the whole ordeal was Finally quelled that they realized that their most Valuable Test Subjects were missing.

Vlad, Danny, Jason, and Ellie had taken the chance to run away during the commotion. Vlad had unfortunately been injured during the escape, and Ellie had been forced to use her powers causing her to destabilize a little, but all in all they had managed to escape on one piece.

But now they were fugitives on the run from the Government, with an injured adult and a sick child.

Jason had an Idea though. While he didn't have very clear memories of his life, a side effect of his late resurrection, he did remember that he used to live in Gotham. And they all remember researchers grumbling about how their scanners always malfunction when they passed nearby Gotham.

So, Jason led his little Family to the most Familiar place in the city he could think of.

Crime Alley.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Ending mass human deprivation and providing good lives for the whole world's population can be accomplished while at the same time achieving ecological objectives. This is demonstrated by a new study by the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology of the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (ICTA-UAB) and the London School of Economics and Political Science, recently published in World Development Perspectives. About 80% of humanity cannot access necessary goods and services and lives below the threshold for "decent living." Some narratives claim that addressing this problem will require massive economic growth on a global scale, multiplying existing output many times over, which would exacerbate climate change and ecological breakdown. The authors of the new study dispute this claim and argue that human development does not require such a dangerous approach. Reviewing recent empirical research, they find that ending mass deprivation and provisioning decent living standards for 8.5 billion people would require only 30% of current global resource and energy use, leaving a substantial surplus for additional consumption, public luxury, scientific advancement, and other social investments. This would ensure that everyone in the world has access to nutritious food, modern housing, high-quality health care, education, electricity, induction stoves, sanitation systems, clothing, washing machines, refrigerators, heating/cooling systems, computers, mobile phones, internet, and transport, and could also include universal access to recreational facilities, theaters, and other public goods. The authors argue that, to achieve such a future, strategies for development should not pursue capitalist growth and increased aggregate production as such but should rather increase the specific forms of production that are necessary to improve capabilities and meet human needs at a high standard, while ensuring universal access to key goods and services through public provisioning and decommodification. In the Global South, this requires using industrial policy to increase economic sovereignty, develop industrial capacity, and organize production around human well-being. At the same time, in high-income countries, less-necessary production (of things like mansions, SUVs, private jets and fast fashion) must be scaled down to enable faster decarbonization and to help bring resource use back within planetary boundaries, as degrowth scholarship holds.

July 25 2024

[writingquestionsanswered]

do u have any sort of website that can tell me jobs in a small town? trying to write a story set in a small town but i cant come up with any ideas for jobs apart from the essential ones like police or hospital

Jobs in a Small Town

Government: mayor, city manager, city council member, city attorney, city clerk, code enforcement officer, customer service representative, finance director, fire chief/firefighter, paramedic, human resources manager, information technology department, librarian, municipal court clerk/administrator/judicial specialist/court security officer, parks and recreation director, planning and zoning director, police chief/officer or sheriff/deputy, public works director, utilities clerk, wastewater plant operator

Business: business owner/operator or employee (such as a clerk, receptionist, manager, or administrator) at a shop, restaurant, cafe, gas station, mechanic, tow truck, locksmith, landscaper/lawn care, handyman, florist, funeral home, pool cleaner, daycare center, grocery store, feed and pet store, car dealership, clothing boutique, ice cream parlor, liquor store, bar, nightclub, community theater, "big box store" (like Walmart), warehouse store (like Costco), movie theater, mini-golf course

Medical Services: hospital (administration, doctor, surgeon, nurse practitioner, nurse, nurse's aide, respiratory therapist, anesthesiologist, orderly, receptionist, lab worker, security, etc.) Doctor's office or urgent care (administration, doctor, nurse, nurse practitioner, receptionist, etc.) Dentist or orthodontist (administration, dentist/orthodontist, dental assistant, orthodontic assistant, receptionist, etc.) Nursing home/assisted living facility (administration, doctor, nurse, orderly, etc.)

Random: country club employee, dog walker, babysitter/nanny, home nurse, museum director/curator/specialist/employee, town archaeologist (if area is rich in history), industrial jobs (mining, factories/manufacturing, farming/crop production, fishing/fisheries), wedding coordinator, convention center director, attorney, judge, taxi driver, utility repair technician, railway worker, bus driver, school jobs (principal, teacher, teacher's aide, librarian, cafeteria worker, counselor, security officer, custodian), airport jobs (administrative, security, service provider/employee, airline worker, pilot, flight attendant, plane mechanic)

That's all I've got at the moment, but keep an eye on the comments in case others come up with ideas! :)

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[tjodity]

HOA Compliance of different bases on the SDMP, according to JSchlatt and CaptainSparklez:

Mika: Not HOA Compliant (no structural support, dead animal outside, insects indoors, fungus growing out of ceiling, renting out apartments without permit) Fine 20 diamonds

Telepathics: Not HOA Compliant (no structural support, barn animal indoors, inability to fix issues) Fine 30 diamonds, whittled down to 19 after paying gold and rubies

Meowriza: HOA Compliant (modern style, structural support, public recreational facilities, two tickets for the fighting arena given to Schlatt and Sparklez) No fine

Aztrosist: Not HOA Compliant (anti-Schlatt poster, large opium farm hidden in the basement) Fine 50 diamonds

Connoreatspants: Not HOA Compliant (no structural support) No fine, told to fix issues

Hunter_hhhh: HOA Compliant (Clearly marked entrances, attention to style, restaurant to the community's benefit, apartment is not occupied, fire exits, selling drugs for Schlatt and Sparklez) No fine

(to be updated with more)

[visit-new-york]

How did the idea for Brooklyn Bridge Park originated, and when was it established?

Brooklyn Bridge Park stands as a testament to urban revitalization and community-driven development, offering a picturesque oasis along the East River waterfront. The park's inception is rooted in a combination of civic activism, visionary planning, and the desire to transform a neglected industrial waterfront into a vibrant public space. In this article, we delve into the fascinating history of Brooklyn Bridge Park, exploring its origins and the journey that led to its establishment.

The Genesis of the Idea:

The idea for Brooklyn Bridge Park germinated in the 1980s, a time when the Brooklyn waterfront was marked by dilapidated piers and neglected industrial spaces. The seeds of change were sown when community activists, urban planners, and environmental advocates began envisioning a transformation of this underutilized waterfront into a dynamic green space for the public to enjoy.

One of the key catalysts for the park's creation was the collapse of the old Brooklyn-Queens Expressway (BQE) that ran along the waterfront. This incident forced a reevaluation of the use of the space, sparking conversations about creating a park that could serve as a recreational haven and a connector between various Brooklyn neighborhoods.

Community Engagement and Planning:

The idea gained momentum through extensive community engagement and collaboration. Local residents, environmental groups, and civic organizations joined forces to advocate for the creation of a waterfront park that would preserve open space, provide recreational opportunities, and enhance the overall quality of life in Brooklyn.

In the early 2000s, the Brooklyn Bridge Park Development Corporation (BBPDC) was established to oversee the planning and development of the park. An ambitious master plan was crafted, envisioning a park that seamlessly integrated natural landscapes, recreational facilities, and cultural spaces.

Establishment and Development:

Brooklyn Bridge Park officially broke ground in 2008, marking the beginning of a transformative journey. The park was developed in phases, with each section carefully designed to cater to a diverse range of interests and activities. The conversion of old industrial piers into recreational and cultural hubs became a hallmark of the park's development.

The park's features include sports fields, playgrounds, waterfront promenades, and even a floating pool. Piers 1 through 6 were successively opened to the public, with each phase adding new dimensions to the park's offerings. The adaptive reuse of historic structures, like the Empire Stores and the Tobacco Warehouse, added cultural depth to the park, connecting visitors with the rich history of the Brooklyn waterfront.

Brooklyn Bridge Park Today:

Brooklyn Bridge Park has become a cherished destination for locals and tourists alike. Its success lies not only in its stunning design and diverse amenities but also in its ability to foster a sense of community and connection. The park continues to evolve, with plans for additional sections and improvements that promise to enhance the visitor experience further.

Conclusion:

Brooklyn Bridge Park stands as a testament to the power of community vision and collaborative urban planning. From its humble beginnings as a dream to transform a neglected waterfront into a thriving public space, the park has become a symbol of Brooklyn's resilience and creativity. As it continues to grow and adapt to the changing needs of its community, Brooklyn Bridge Park remains a shining example of how thoughtful development can transform urban landscapes and enhance the quality of life for generations to come.

[mapsontheweb]

This map shows the land that was newly developed in the United States from 2008 to 2019. The development may be for public or private uses — homes, commercial or industrial buildings, recreational facilities, or public buildings.

[vandaliatraveler]

Bickle Knob is the high point on Forest Road 91 in the Monongahela National Forest, which traverses some of the wildest and most beautiful areas of the Allegheny Mountains. Depending on which end you enter, the gravel road starts or finishes with the Stuart Recreation Area and the Otter Creek Wilderness. Bickle Knob rises roughly halfway between the two, with Bear Heaven Campground squeezed into a sharp bend on the descent from the top of the mountain. Bickle Knob is most notable for hosting one of the few remaining forest service fire towers in West Virginia, which is accessible to the public. The original cab has been removed and replaced with an open viewing platform. Views are breathtaking in all directions. The tower and other facilities in the area were built by the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC) in the early days of the national forest system. The most evident artifact, aside from the fire tower, is the gorgeous stonework of an historic water well located along the road, a memorable legacy from a day and an age when hand-carved and constructed edifices were both a necessity and an artform; they need to be restored and protected for future generations.

[sheurb]

Another tsp:rp update!! Hurrah!

..It's kind of funny to think that finally FINALLY the game has gotten to a point where its presentable as a set piece at the very least.. even though it was kind of small in terms of support, it's really nice to finally get things done because of it!!! thank you

Theres still a few tiny things I want to do before making it public, and even then it will likely be in its early stages...

I could info-dump on all of you, however I don't want to spoil every little thing... I think a QnA would work better...?? Let's do both!

Here's a short summary!

Ive gotten a the first few rooms almost completely finished! It's no mind control facility, but it took me an embarrassing long time to complete

I've been attempting to figure out how to get morphs working!! This will probably end up being thought out after the game goes public, so until then this game is just a recreation of the map

Generally, figuring out fun ideas to implement has been great, too! Nothing essential, no. Just a few gags here and there. I have a lot of plans for where this might go, and hopefully it'll be somewhere at the very least!

... And thats about it for the update, I think? How do you end these??????? ummmmmmmmmm like and subscribe

dont forget,,, tsp:rp QnA,,

[this-is-a-podcast-fanblog]

american suburbia is a lie and so is american urbanism now that we live in a capitalist post-dystopia

because walkability is probably never going to be achieved in our lifetimes. Does anyone else ever just sit and think about this? I grew up as a kid in the suburbs and now live as an adult in the city. Yes, I know there's privilege within both of these living situations, but I also think that American "Exceptionalism" is not anything of the sort and should be criticized when most suburbs have no good public transport or even things to do. How is a person supposed to be enriched in a social way, to have fun with their friends, to build community?

Just imagine what a walkable community could look like. Within five to ten minutes of you, you have the essentials for living and some enjoyable things too. A grocery store. A cafe A daycare. A school. A gas station. A park with a playground. A library. Then imagine that within twenty minutes, you have your workplace, you have a place to go shopping, a good restaurant, a town hall, a community college, a couple of bars. Within half an hour's travel time by public transport, there are things that are less essential for survival, but still important for recreation and cultural enrichment: there's a museum, a strip club, a spot to go hiking, a fancy restaurant, a sports facility, a live theatre venue. If you travel out an hour or so away there are other towns to visit, cities nearby that you can venture into on the weekends, and the highway is very short.

These things are much more achievable in the city, but are so corporate that it can't even foster community. Your local cafe is a Starbucks, your local restaurant is a Chili's, and even the arts centers are privatized. We don't live in communities, we live in Walmart parking lots. We live in Disney World. America is not a real country.

[racheljoyscott]

Community Response

Five weeks after the shootings, the district worked with the Colorado Historical Society to take down the memorials and begin preserving them for future museum displays. The public grieving began almost immediately and increased as the days wore on. Clement Park, which sits adjacent to Columbine High School, was the center of the mourning.  It became the site of literally thousands of informal memorials, as people from around the world came to leave signs of remembrance and support for the students of Columbine.     Foothills Park and Recreation District, which manages the facility, estimates that more than 200,000 people traveled to the park before the memorials were dismantled in May. The visitors left stuffed animals, crosses, angels, candles, bouquets, photographs, ribbons and numerous other items.       A pick-up truck and a small compact car, discovered the next day parked in a Clement Park lot by Columbine students, became memorials to two of the slain students.  The vehicles were nearly unrecognizable as friends and strangers covered them with flowers and countless pictures, cards, letters and drawings in memory of the owners.      Mourners mingled with the media, which were set up at Clement Park to cover press conferences and response efforts at the school. The high volume of foot traffic and wet weather wreaked havoc on the park. The Foothills staff placed tents, plastic and more than 2,000 bales of straw around the memorials and grass to minimize the damage.     Items from the informal memorial were removed and put in storage in a vacant building at the Denver Federal Center. The district staff provided all of the logistics and volunteer coordination for the removal of the memorial items, a process that took three days to complete with over 300 volunteers.  Under the direction of the Colorado Historical Society the main focus for the memorial removal was to be sensitive to community needs and save as many items as possible, while recognizing the need to return the park to normal operations within a reasonable time frame. The inventory of items removed from the park included over 2,500 stuffed animals, 250 crosses, pictures, artwork, a new bicycle, and over 300 banners from all over the world.  In addition, thousands of flowers were recycled into potpourri or mulch for planting beds.  

[hometoursandotherstuff]

Here's an unusual property for work & play- basically you're buying a giant 40 foot diameter sphere in the desert of Yucca, Arizona. The dome is currently a ''UFO museum'' open to the public. BUT- A new project with storage, rv park, and an MX Professional Park for all ages will be developed right next to this ONE OF A KIND FACILITY! $1.375M. Terms are cash (?) or the owner will carry the loan. (So, in other words, it doesn't qualify for a bank loan.)

The property has a C-store and a fully operational restaurant called ''Rocket Burger.''

They don't specify if the things in the museum come with it.

I don't know, there doesn't seem to be much in here. A few displays, t-shirts for sale, souvenirs, and a couple arcade games.

A new exhibit under construction.

The Rocket Burger facility is nice. It has a full professional kitchen.

I don't know, it looks like a failing business. Maybe if and when they build the other facilities it will pick up, but right now it looks pretty dead.

The property measures 2.19 acres. There is some kind of large business and housing development nearby.

But, the rest is vastly desolate.

[usafphantom2]

SAC Crew Dog Alert Stories: An Introduction - Part 1

In 1989, I spent a lot of time trying to explain to my family what being on Alert was. The fire house analogy was the only one I could come up with. For seven days straights, a couple of times a month, we would move into the Alert Facility also known as the Shack and for the most part, sit around and do nothing. This story is how I remember it now, 30 years later.

The Shack was a building, in the fenced area at the end of the runway. It was built right next to the “Tree”, a aircraft parking location designed to make it very easy to takeoff in just a few minutes and from the air, it looks like a simple drawing of a tree.

We started our Alert tour on Wednesdays. So, we’d show up on Wednesday morning around Zero Seven Hundred (7:00 am for you civies) and park in the lot outside the fence and drag all the sh*t we would need for the week, clothes, books, razor, soap, shampoo, etc, plus all our professional gear, helmet bag, publications (a big heavy briefcase.)

At Loring Air Force Base (AFB) in Maine (ME), we had seven tankers on Alert. There are four crew positions, Aircraft Command, Copilot, Navigator and the Boom Operator, and this meant there were 26 other crew dogs doing the same thing as you. Some were married or had girlfriends who would drop them off and say goodbye, others were single, like me and we’d drive our cars there. One guy used to show up on his snow mobile occasionally, and another guy, who was a HAM Radio guy used to arrive in his RV with radio antennae’s sticking out of it all over the place (another funny story.)

The Shack was build was built partially underground. The bottom floor was where all the quarters were. There were three main hallways, with a couple of crossing hallways to connect them, and probably about 80 single rooms. Originally, the B-52s had also pulled Alert, they had six crew member per crew and maybe six or eight aircraft on Alert, but Loring had become a Conventional Bomber base during to one of the Start treaties, so the bombers were no longer there, thank the Lord.

The second floor in the Shack was above ground, and it was the main area. It had windows. The main entry door was at one end of the building, all other external doors were Exit only. There was a briefing room, a chow hall, various recreation rooms with TV’s and couches, and then an area for doing classified stuff that I could tell you about, but then I’d have to kill you. Classified briefing could be given in the main briefing room as well.

So, after you dragged all your sh*t, up the hill, showed your badge to get in the gate, then continue dragging your sh*t the rest of the way up the hill and into the main entry, show your badge again, get your room assignment, and drag your sh*t down to your room (seeing a theme here?) and sort it out, then it was time to get to work.

Time to find your crew and get to the briefing held at Zero Eight Hundred (8:00 am) sharp. And I do mean sharp. Time hacks, the process of synchronizing your watch with the master timekeeper (usually a Navigator) was a big thing, was a very important thing and seconds mattered.

The presenter of the briefing would brief us. Thinking about it, I can’t really remember what they talked about. Most of the time I was half asleep, I do remember that, but not on change over day. They’d discuss the weather, what crazy Ivan was doing, status of the airplanes, stuff like that and when they finished, it was time to head off to the aircraft.

The airplanes were kept at the Cage. Tankers weren’t allowed to use the Tree (even though it was empty), because… well… because we were tanker Toads. We didn’t drop bombs, so we weren’t really all that important (until they needed gas that is.) Our parking location was across the runway in the other fenced off parking area. In order to get in, you had to be Pre-Announced (another funny story) and the AC or Copilot would usually call over and let them know we were coming.

While someone was calling over, the Boom would get the keys to our Alert Truck. Each crew had their own truck, a Ford or Chevy Crew Cab 4 door pickup. There were also a few extras that could be borrowed if you were important enough, but mostly each crew had to share amongst themselves.

The Boom always drove the truck when the crew was together. It was tradition, and God help the Aircraft Commander who tried to buck it. Next stop, the Cage to preflight the aircraft.

(I missed a part here… so I’m adding it now) When going to airplane to pre-flight it, you also needed to bring all your professional sh*t, oh, I mean gear. It was a big bag, filled with cold weather gear and other stuff. Bigger than a duffle bag, and heavier too. It had to have all the correct stuff in it, or else. And from time to time, they would actually check it, so you couldn’t skimp. It had to be dragged out of the truck, up the crew entry chute (a ladder to get you to the flight deck) and then secured (tied down) to the floor in the back of the aircraft. Four bag, one for each crew member, and one more for the flying crew chief. Getting one of the themes here? We were always dragging our sh*t around all over the place.

The aircraft was always, and I mean ALWAYS, ready to takeoff. The entire pre-flight right up the step where they Start Engines was already accomplished, but there were a couple of exceptions. For instance, you could not leave the battery switch on because that would kill the batteries. Each and every morning, you had to go to the aircraft and make sure that everything was up to snuff. With Loring having a cold climate with lots of snow and very low temperatures, we had a few extra things that needed to be done. The engines had to be covered to keep snow and ice out of them, and the wings had to be kept clear too.

Although we had crew chiefs to take care of the airplane, the decent thing to do was to give them a hand if it was needed, operationally, the brass wanted everything ready and they didn’t care who, or how and why, just get it done. Being the only enlisted member on the crew, it was often the Boom who was elected (or just plain old ordered) to help them out, but only after we’d finished our part of the pre-flight.

In my early days, we were still flying on the KC-135 A model which did not have a usable Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) and used Injected Water to provide additional thrust for takeoff. Water freezes – and Loring is cold, so the water needs to be heated. That was my job, and the crew chiefs and, you guessed it, it sucked. An external power cart, known as a Hobart, needed to be plugged into the aircraft. The electrical power it provided enabled the use of the water heaters, which probably used enough energy to light up the entire base. There was a warning in the Dash One (the Bible that told us all about the KC-135) that said, “Do NOT turn on all the water heater switch at the same time.” There were five heaters and a switch for each one.

Rumors had it that once upon a time, a boom did exactly this, and the load caused the Hobart to flip over and die. (Hobarts are big, probably weighing 5,000 lbs) Not good, especially on Alert, where THE AIRPLANE MUST ALWAYS BE READY TO TAKEOFF!

Fortunately, water was not always needed. If the temperature got very low, the engines didn’t need it. But, unfortunately, the only way to get rid of the water was to dump it out of the bottom of the airplane and onto the ramp where it promptly froze into the shape of a very nice skating rink. Lovely.

The airplanes were fueled up to the maximum Emergency War Order (EWO) takeoff weight, which was right around 290,000 lbs. A bit more was added, allowing for the fuel burned off while taxi’ing. They were very heavy, and it was hard on the airplanes having them sit on the ramp with all this weight.

So, moving on, we’d get the preflight complete and head back to the Alert facility. There was ground training to be done and briefings to attend. First, studying your mission. You need to know where you were going, who you were refueling, and where you were landing (or bailing out as the case might be.) They weren’t kidding, you really needed to know. There was a test! And if you failed it, it was a disaster, I mean, they’d run you out town on the rails! You’d be the laughingstock of all your peers. (I really want to use the term “No Joke” but somebody has ruined that statement.)

So, you did your studying and after that it was usually lunchtime. Hmm, personally, I always thought the chow hall food was good. But then again, I think any food prepared by some else is good. I can’t stand cooking, and this worked out well when I was in the Air Force because someone else always did the cooking.

Lunch was also always a very social event. Long tables with crews sitting together inevitably lead to storytelling, and let me tell you, some of the guys were superb. They would have us in stitches for hours. Sometime the stories were sad, sometimes funny, but they were always entertaining, and they became the lore over time, being repeated and discussed over the years.

Somebody actually created a book, handwritten, with text and drawings, which included many of those stories that was kept down in the crew quarters. I wish to the Lord above; I had that book. It was gold. It was passed around, amongst the crew members to read during the huge amount of time they had when they were just doing nothing.

And I think at this point, lunch time, I’ll end Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2 which will start with:

A Nap

Photos:

KC-135 62-3580 – The Moose Is Loose (not sure it was an A or an R as this point)

View of the flight line in the summertime, around 1992-4

@tcamp202 via X