'I Think I Understand Now'

Panther_99FS · Aug 5, 2009

About 2 weeks or so ago, I was TDY at Lackland AFB. While there, I got to see the now closed Kelly AFB which was my first duty assignment.

Seeing that base brought back a rush of fond memories from when it was active....However, closed/changed/abandoned/ areas created some empty feelings....

The NCO club is no longer there....instead a General Dynamics building is in its place.

I can only begin to imagine what the feelings are like for WW-II vets when they visit old WW-II bases (or what's left of them)

jmig · Aug 5, 2009

I visited the former Craig, AFB, where I attended pilot training, a few years ago. It was sad to see the abandoned buildings and high grass.

However, when I went to the flight line and the old flight squadron buildings, in my minds eye I could see it when I was learning to fly. I remember all the hustle and bustle of the flight line. It was a pensive moment full of poignancy.

TeaSea · Aug 5, 2009

There be ghosts......

b52bob · Aug 6, 2009

I know the feeling. At Castle the once full flight line is an empty exoanse of concrete. The 106 area is now old, delapidated hangers. Our barracks are gone along with half the base buildings. Our OMS hanger sits forlornly in the middle of nothing slowly rotting away.

Same with Pease, Blytheville, U-Tapeo, etc.

Getting old.

Bob

Brian Bigler · Aug 6, 2009

I understand too, I was never in the military, still kicking my butt to this day. My kid goes to the old Richards-Gebaur AFB in KC weekly for Young Marines. It sickens me to see how all the old buildings were just left to fall into disrepair. The Marines however do keep their compound and areas up to the 9's.

My son's grandfather put in over 30 years in the Air Force, "retired' to the reserves, spent many years as an ART with C-130's, transitioned to the A-10, and then transferred to Whiteman to finish his tour 1 Dec. 2007.

I guess the upside is, if you need a car, there are hundreds of them new and used scattered everwhere there now. Apparently the are is now either an auto auction or a rail head for new cars.

Technogrunt · Aug 6, 2009

Panther I understand

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'I Think I Understand Now'

Panther_99FS

Retired SOH Administrator

jmig

SOH-CM-2025

TeaSea

SOH-CM-2014

b52bob

Charter Member

Brian Bigler

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Technogrunt

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