# Pope AFB sees last of C-130s leave....



## Devildoc (Jun 30, 2016)

End of an Era: Last C-130 leaves North Carolina's Pope Field :: WRAL.com

I am not an Army or Airborne guy, but it just doesn't make sense to me to rob Bragg of the one asset that SOF and airborne troops need in order to move out quickly.


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## TLDR20 (Jun 30, 2016)

Devildoc said:


> End of an Era: Last C-130 leaves North Carolina's Pope Field :: WRAL.com
> 
> I am not an Army or Airborne guy, but it just doesn't make sense to me to rob Bragg of the one asset that SOF and airborne troops need in order to move out quickly.



There are plenty of C-17's for that. We aren't crossing the Atlantic on a C-130, and most of the combat Talons are based elsewhere.


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## Devildoc (Jun 30, 2016)

TLDR20 said:


> There are plenty of C-17's for that. We aren't crossing the Atlantic on a C-130, and most of the combat Talons are based elsewhere.



Thanks.  Didn't know.  Like I tell my kids, "and thus education has occurred."


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## Florida173 (Jun 30, 2016)

Like @TLDR20 said with C17s also fulfilling the role for airborne operations, Pope hasn't been an AFB for a few years now and I'd imagine they've been getting aircraft support from other Air Force units anyway. I can't imagine this causing any issues in training, or at least miniscule.


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## DA SWO (Jun 30, 2016)

Florida173 said:


> Like @TLDR20 said with C17s also fulfilling the role for airborne operations, Pope hasn't been an AFB for a few years now and I'd imagine they've been getting aircraft support from other Air Force units anyway. I can't imagine this causing any issues in training, or at least miniscule.


Even when Pope was an AFB planes came from all over the country to drop.
The 18 hr sequence is an unrealistic planning tool anyway.  30 hours plus is what it really takes.


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## Devildoc (Jun 30, 2016)

Thanks for the info.  I go down with the kids every couple years, go to the museums, end up eating lunch on base.  They love watching the planes take off/land.  But like I say, not my circus, not my monkeys...I didn't know how that all worked out down there.

I was interested to see how much CAS/TAC aircraft had been stationed over the years at Pope on the Wiki page.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Jul 9, 2016)

I use to love watching the A-10's take off!

I didn't love walking all the way across the airfield from Green Ramp to get on C-130...they use to park them as far away as possible on purpose.
Winter time no heat, summer no Air....WTF Air Force you had one job.....LOL!!!!


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## AWP (Jul 10, 2016)

Tillis: Air Force support to Fort Bragg paratroopers continues to decline

This has a little of everything including politicians and Army/ Air Force sniping. It also fails to breakdown the "need" jumps vs. the "want" jumps for the fobbits. I'd love to know the percentage of helo jumps made by line units.


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## Brill (Jul 10, 2016)

Why not just use contractors for proficiency jumps?


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## AWP (Jul 10, 2016)

lindy said:


> Why not just use contractors for proficiency jumps?



I think if we did the jumping it wouldn't benefit the service member.



I know SOCOM and I believe USASOC use contracted air. There are plenty of L-100's around, but good luck getting Big Army to pay for those. Blackwater/ Presidential Air ran Casa 212's and 235's like a boss in Afghanistan. The Army is familiar with the solution if they'd only pay.


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## TLDR20 (Jul 10, 2016)

Freefalling said:


> I think if we did the jumping it wouldn't benefit the service member.
> 
> 
> 
> I know SOCOM and I believe USASOC use contracted air. There are plenty of L-100's around, but good luck getting Big Army to pay for those. Blackwater/ Presidential Air ran Casa 212's and 235's like a boss in Afghanistan. The Army is familiar with the solution if they'd only pay.



USASOC isn't contracted, they have fixed wing pilots though.


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## SpongeBob*24 (Jul 10, 2016)

There is no draw at the JA/ATT conference for Pilots to come to FBNC.

When I was at MacDill, the pilots would come to party in Y-Bor and drop some Generals!

Who wants to support a 0200 TOT???!?!?


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## AWP (Jul 10, 2016)

TLDR20 said:


> USASOC isn't contracted, they have fixed wing pilots though.



Ah. Gotcha'. I think they used to be, but this was....early 2000's. Paul Fayard scored a contract to support some entity at Bragg; we were told it was USASOC, but that could have been bad/ misinformation. He painted every single one of his Casa-212's low viz grey and closed his DZ. I don't know what he did with his TwOtters, but they were the nicest jump planes I ever used. He picked them up from some passenger service in Alaska and they were immaculate compared to other jump ships. Fayard had something like 3 or 4 -212's and I want to say 3 DHC-6's. His DZ in Louisburg, NC was pimp and a great place to jump. None of the attitudes of Raeford.


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## DA SWO (Jul 10, 2016)

One of the problems with contracting a 130 is cost.
The Army would have to pay from engine start to stop.
We also need to take a hard look at Airborne tactics; what is the most likely use? Small Company Level Operations? Airfield Seizures (Bn TF)?  Do we really see ourselves dropping a Brigade on the same DZ?


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## Centermass (Jul 11, 2016)

Someone remind me why we have an Air Force........


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## Red Flag 1 (Jul 11, 2016)

When I was posted to the USAF IG team, there was a story about Gen. Curtis Lemay. He was walking through the hospital one day at Base X. He stopped a Medical Admin type 0-4 and asked him what his mission was. The Major launched into a long winded hearts, and flowers patient care platitude. Before the Maj was done, Lemay stopped him dead. He said, with red faced fury, that the USAF mission was, "To fly and fight, and by God don't you ever forget that".

Today, I think the hearts and flowers might actually be OK. The difference between leadership, and management.


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## DA SWO (Jul 11, 2016)

Centermass said:


> Someone remind me why we have an Air Force........


Because the Army is too stupid to allocate air assets by need and not organization.


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## Kraut783 (Jul 11, 2016)

I often wonder where we would be if the Air Force was still the Army Air Corps...better...worse...same?


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## AWP (Jul 11, 2016)

Kraut783 said:


> I often wonder where we would be if the Air Force was still the Army Air Corps...better...worse...same?



Aug. 6, 1945 was the day that guaranteed the end of the USAAF.


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## Centermass (Jul 11, 2016)

Freefalling said:


> Aug. 6, 1945 was the day that guaranteed the end of the USAAF.



Last time I checked, pilots need flight hours. 

Last time I checked, Ft. Bragg has jumpers. Lots of them. 

Hence, my question earlier. 

And another rant, if the AF has such a problem with the A-10 and having to fight with everyone and their mother's brother in order to keep it, screw the agreement. Give them to the Army.


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## Brill (Jul 11, 2016)

Centermass said:


> Someone remind me why we have an Air Force........



Hot chicks


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## Gunz (Jul 11, 2016)

DA SWO said:


> Even when Pope was an AFB planes came from all over the country to drop.
> The 18 hr sequence is an unrealistic planning tool anyway.  30 hours plus is what it really takes.



We used to do LAPES drops at Pope. When we weren't delivering "humanitarian aid" to the Contras. :-"


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