This is my first time ever to Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand I took a couple photos looking out of my hotel room window to see what Korat had to offer. Then I decided to go for a walk to see for myself. While walking down the street there was a guy riding an elephant, so I asked him if I could take photo.
Welcome to Thailand
Joint Military Exercise Cobra Gold
Here is a group photo of the communications team that was taken during the joint military exercise Cobra Gold that was held in the kingdom of Thailand.
DISN Data Services Course
While in the Air Force I was sent to the DISN Data Services Course. Here is the manual from that Air Force training.
Power Machines
Drove over to the flight line with a friend on Kadena Air Base and snapped some photos of his Nissan Skyline and my Nissan Cima with some Air Force muscle in the background…and a tank.
F-15 Versus Air Force Security Forces
While serving in the Air Force I received an e-mail with this safety briefing about an accident that happened at Eglin Air Force base in Florida. Even though they say it was an accident, every part of this looks like people were screwing around.
White’s Bridge
Went over to White’s Bridge near Lowell, Michigan to see the historic covered bridge.
Ali Al Salem Air Base Facilities
Here are some of the facilities at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. You can see the base exchange, the recreation center, and the gym in the photos above.
Explosive Ordinance Disposal
While at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait my commander was an ex-Explosive Ordinance Disposal (E.O.D.) person so he asked me if I wanted to go out and watch EOD blow some things up. That’s how I was afforded the opportunity to go out with EOD and watch them blow up 24 sticks of C4. They also used a thermite grenade on some classified computer systems and disposed of some British flares. It was a pretty cool experience.
Digging Cable Trenches
Ali Al Salem air base was a tactical base that was quickly setup and it has a mess of cables all over the place. To try to clean the cables up and run them neatly through trenches. The biggest problem though was that it was all rock and digging through that was not easy.
Radio Tower View of Ali Al Salem Air Base
The view of Ali Al Salem Air Base from the radio tower. This definitely gives a bird’s eye perspective of what it was like on this base. You may notice a swimming pool in the photos. The swimming pool was only 3 feet deep and the main reason it was there was because it was the largest source of water in case of a fire.
Sights around Kuwait
Here are some different things you can see around Kuwait.
Kuwaiti Puma
At Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait I happened to see a couple Kuwaiti Puma aircraft. Here are a couple photos.
Shooting the Big Gun
This is what a 50 caliber Baret looks like and this is what it looks like when you are aiming at a bad guy through a scope. These photos were taken at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait.
Ali Al Salem Tent City
While deployed to Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait I was afforded the wonderful opportunity to go camping in the desert 39 miles away from the Iraqi boarder. The United States Air Force was ever so kind as to setup tents with air conditioning. It was so hot in the desert that if you wanted to feel any of the air conditioning you needed to tape water bottle together to point the air at you. One of the worst days I can remember was 130 degrees at 9 o’clock in the morning. Whenever there was a windstorm you could count on not getting any sleep that night. It was also nice shaking sand, dirt, and the occasion scorpion or camel spider out of your boots as well. Here are some photos of what tent city was like both inside the tents and on the outside. Sometimes between the tents people would build a common area between the tents so people could play cards or read a book.
Reenlistment Ceremony
While at Ali Al Salem air base I reenlisted in the Air Force. Here are some photos of the reenlistment ceremony in front of “The Rock.”
Air Force Predator Aircraft
During my time at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait it was common occurrence to see the Air Force Predator aircraft. This plane is pretty cool because it is an unmanned aircraft and has virtually a lawnmower engine to power it.
There was a lot of debate between different types of pilots about if the Predator pilots should actually be considered pilots because they sit on the ground and are in no imminent danger if something should fail on the aircraft. They have no threat to life or limb if they do something wrong with the aircraft. It is much like playing a video game.
Hardened Aircraft Shelter at Ali Al Salem
Here are some photos of the hardened aircraft shelter’s (HAS) at Ali Al Salem air base in Kuwait. The story behind the HAS was that they were built by the French and they were designed with 10 foot reinforced concrete. Apparently the French who built them for the Kuwaiti’s sold them as being bomb proof. When Iraq invaded Kuwait they took over these facilities and then during Operation Desert Storm the United States came in and bombed the heck out of them. I heard the Kuwaiti’s sued the French for the HAS not being bomb proof like they were sold as.
Welcome to Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait
After 34 hours of flight travel I finally arrived at Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait. This base was 39 miles from the Iraqi boarder. Here are a few photos of C-130 aircraft with a photo of the base out of the back of a C-130. Just a few of the things I saw while I was there.
Okinawa Dragon Boat Race
Went to watch the dragon boat races at Tomarin in Okinawa. This was a pretty neat event. There were teams with Okinawan people from different places and there were also teams from different military bases in Okinawa. It seemed as though they were building friendships through friendly competition while experiencing some of the Okinawan culture.
Fighter Jets
Here is a photo of an Air Force F-117 stealth fighter while it is refueling and a photo of a Navy F-18 static display at Kadena air base “Friendship Festival.”
Metallica Club Magazine SO WHAT! Volume 5 Issue 2
I was cleaning out my garage and I found a box with some old Metallica Club Magazines in it. So I decided to scan them and add them to the website so that I don’t have to carry these magazines around with me forever. This is Volume 5 Issue 2. I think I actually held on this magazine because I went to the Metallica concert at the Budokan arena in Tokyo, Japan on May 8th. Because I was a fan club member I got backstage and got to meet Jason Newsted.
18th Communications Squadron Flag Football
18th Communications Squadron from Kadena Air Base playing flag football against Marines on Camp Hansen in Okinawa, Japan.
Jason Newsted (Former Metallica Bassist) the Unknown Story
In 1998 I was in Okinawa, Japan when I received my Metallica fan club magazine which informed me of the bands upcoming tour. It was actually happening, Metallica was coming to Japan. I knew immediately I had to get tickets. So I checked with the Metallica club to see if I could get tickets through them for their Tokyo show. Unfortunately they weren’t sending tickets to fan club members overseas. So I did the next best thing, I went to a ticket office in Okinawa and purchased tickets. Next I had to get time off work and buy plane tickets to go to Tokyo from Okinawa. Once I got that squared away, then I just had to wait for the time to arrive.’, ‘The time finally came, I left for Tokyo on May 5th, 1998. Upon arriving at Narita airport I had to make my way to Ginza where I was staying. I went to the hotel and checked in. Dropped my bags off and took a shower. I decided to relax the first day because on the 6th is when I was going to the concert at the Tokyo dome in Budokan. I had purchased an extra ticket because I had a Japanese friend who wanted to go to the concert with me. So I went out to meet him and give him his ticket. When I met him in Shinjuku he had some troubling news. Because he was in a band called Janus and they were part of the X-Japan family. The lead singer from the band X-Japan had died and he had to attend his funeral, so he wasn’t able to make it to the concert. So I had this extra ticket and I didn’t know anybody else to give it to.
The following day I wore my Metallica fan club t-shirt and was pumped and ready for the concert. During the train ride I decided it would be best for me to try to sell my extra ticket outside the stadium. I stood around for a little while and nobody wanted to buy my extra ticket. Since I didn’t want to wait any longer I decided that it was a lost cause trying to sell it. So I decided to just go into the concert. As I was walking around the stadium to find the entrance there was a bouncer standing outside. He saw my t-shirt and asked me if I was a Metallica fan club member. I told him I was, then he told me that if I came back the following day I would be able to get backstage to meet the band. I thought this was some pretty cool news so it made me more pumped to go in and see the concert. Once I was in the stadium I was anxious for the concert to start. It was unbelievable, I was half way around the world from where I had seen my first Metallica concert in Ionia, Michigan, and I was about to see Metallica live again. Fifteen minutes into the concert I had already lost my voice from yelling as loud as I could. The concert went on and it was a kick ass show. After the show I took the train back to Ginza voiceless and wore out from attending an awesome performance.
The following day I went back to Budokan to see about getting backstage to meet the band. I walked around talking to some staff who pointed me in the right direction to get in line. Since I was so early I decided to buy some pamphlets to get autographed by the band. Then I found the line and I was the 2nd person in line waiting to get backstage. I started talking to Japanese guy in line in front of me and he was from near Osaka. He then asked me since I came from so far away that if I wanted to be first in line. I said, “Hell yeah” and he let me go in front of him. While waiting to go backstage Niclas Swanlund (writer for the Metallica fan club magazine) came out and told us what was going on. He told us that because the band was conducting interviews with local radio stations and TV stations, only Jason Newsted would be coming out to meet us. I must admit, I was a little disappointed because I was looking forward to meeting James Hetfield, the lead singer. Niclas Swanlund went on to tell us that Jason doesn’t like flashes from cameras. So if we had a camera we needed to cover the flash. Since all I had was a $10 disposable camera this was no big deal I would just cover the flash with my finger.
They escorted the line backstage where we waited for Jason to come out. When Jason finally came out I was surprised to see that me standing 6 foot 1 inch was taller than short little Jason who was only 5 feet 10 inches tall. As he walked out I snapped a picture with my finger over the flash as he walked up to me. When he got to me I gave him my pamphlets for him to sign and I told him that I was from Michigan too. He said, “Oh yeah, where about?” I told him I was from Saranac and before I said anything else, he said, “Oh yeah, that’s up near my aunt in Ionia”. After he signed my pamphlets he started working his way down the line to the other fan club members. He made it to the 4th person and he paused for a second. He said, “Where am I?” I blurted out, “You’re in fucking Japan man.” He then glanced down and said, “I know that dude”. He then proceeded down the rest of the line when a guy came out and took Jason outside to show him a Harley Davidson motorcycle that had Metallica painted on the gas tank. Once he came back in, he was walking on his way to the concert. I was so excited that I just met Jason Newsted from Metallica I wanted to say, “Rock on” before his show. As he was walking by, I blurted out, “Jason!” and before I got to say “rock on”. He just shook his head and I heard him mumble to the person he was walking with, “These fans” then I couldn’t hear what else he said. It was as if he was getting an attitude because I wanted to let him know I appreciated their music.
I ended up venturing back to Okinawa where I told my coworkers about my experience of going to the Metallica concert and getting backstage to meet Jason Newsted. I didn’t forget to leave out the part about him being a little guy with a big attitude towards his fans. I brought in my pictures after having them developed and the picture of Jason did not turn out since I wasn’t able to use a flash, but my picture of Niclas Swanlund and me did turn out. After that one experience I never looked at the band quite the same so in 2001 when I heard news that Jason was leaving the band I was not heart broken. Once I heard Metallica’s 3rd bassist was going to be Rob Trujillo, previously from Ozzy, I knew the band was going to rock again.
Sapporo Building
While in Tokyo, Japan I went to Asakusa and on the way back I stopped and snapped this photo of the Sapporo building. Sapporo is a big beverage company in Japan and they are best known for their beer.
Habu Sake (Snake Rice Wine)
I went to the botanical gardens in Okinawa with some friends to see a Christmas light event that was going on. While there I was walking through a gift store and saw this Habu sake. In Okinawa, “Habu” means snake and sake is Japanese rice wine. So you literally buy a bottle of wine that has a snake inside of it.
Kadena Technical Control Best in the Pacific
While stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan the 18th Communications Squadron facility I worked in received a Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) best technical control facility in the Pacific award.
Analog Circuit Testing
19961203 – DDForm1697
While stationed at Kadena air base in Okinawa, Japan I had to occasionally perform circuit test and acceptance tests. Here are the results of one of the tests I conducted.
First Night in Okinawa
In 1996 I was new to the United States Air Force and just arrived in Okinawa a little after 11 PM, when I walked off the plane and met my sponsor for the first time. On the way driving back to base he was driving like a madman. He was cutting through traffic just to get stuck at the next stop light. This kept me on the edge of my seat for the duration of the drive, but I would learn not much longer after that, that is how people drive there.’, ‘After we got to base he took me to get some food from the dining facility and then to the dorms. After getting some food he took me to the dorms and showed me my room. It was literally a 10 foot by 10 foot by 10 foot room which I referred to as a closet. I mean shit, prison cells are bigger than this and I’m supposed to be serving my country. Anyway, I started unpacking my clothes when I heard somebody beating on my door. I had no idea who that could have been since the one and only person I knew there was my sponsor. I opened the door and there were 4 guys standing there. This short, but muscular guy, (whom I learned later his name was Joe) asked me, “Are you the new guy?” I said, “Yes.” He asked me, “Are you drunk?” I said, “No, I just got here and I’m not old enough to drink.” Then another one (whom I learned later everybody called, “Doughboy”) threw his car keys at me and said, “Good you can drive.” The other two’s names were Jarrod and Nate. After I informed him I didn’t have a Japanese driver’s license he said, “That’s ok, You’ll probably drive better than they do here anyway.” As we were walking out to the car Doughboy asked me if I knew how to drive a standard transmission car. I told him I did, but I don’t think it mattered. I would have been getting a crash course anyway. Then I walked around to the Nissan Skyline (Paul Newman edition) and before I could get in, the group told me the steering wheel was on the other side of the car. So I walked around the car and got in to drive.
As we were driving down the road there were 4 drunken guys in the car stuffing more beer in their pockets and continuously drinking as we were driving down the road. The drunken guys were attempting to give me directions of where we were going and telling me how to drive the car from the back seat. Once we managed to get to the Kadena air base USO, after stalling the car twice and making a couple wrong turns, we started walking out the gate. Once we got out the gate they were telling me about a curfew that is between 12 AM – 6 AM. They told me you’re not supposed to be in the gate 2 area between those times. Then they told me as long as you stay out until 6 AM that you can’t get caught. I decided this wasn’t such a good idea and I was getting tired from the long plan ride. I decided to walk back while they all went out and partied. I figured I wasn’t old enough to drink anyway, so I figured I couldn’t even get into the bar with them.
Without even thinking the situation through, I decided to walk back to the base. I got back on base before the curfew started and started walking down the street in the direction I came from. I made it a block when I noticed a cop car. I decided to ask them for directions because they may know a faster way back. I then had to explain the situation to the security police before they told me to hop in the car and they would give me a ride. The problem was I didn’t know what dorm I was staying in. So they drove me around for a while until we found the dorm. Now don’t forget I haven’t met my boss yet, I haven’t found out where I work yet, and the only person I know is my sponsor and I had no idea how to get a hold of him. After I made it back to the dorms I went back to my room and fell asleep.