flight line

Last night our team held an ice cream social with the local kadena dolphins to show our thanks for letting us use their facilities and to give the kids a chance to take pictures with us and get autographs. Makes all of us feel way cooler than we really are when we get to make a kids day by signing our name or taking a picture with them. I guess that I made an affect on an entire family throughout the week as they brought a stuffed animal for me as well as a couple shirts from the local team. In return I signed numerous autographs and took pictures with the three daughters, again making me feel really cool.
Then I went to dinner with my friends sponsor and afterwards to his house on the base. Throughout dinner and after at his house the sponsor only 24 years old told us stories of his job in the Air Force. He told us that most of what he sees and hears is classified because he works in the reconnaissance planes that fly high and wire tap on everyone and anyone to gather information. His daily schedule made my life and experiences here seem extremely boring. He showed us photo albums of the history of okinawa from back in ww2 and one photo in particular of the actual japanese surrender of kadena and okinawa, pretty powerful picture!
This morning I had a very light practice, only about 2500 yards but all of it felt good. Then after lunch I got to head over to flight line, the airport, and get up close and personal with an F-15. I got to touch one, a 65 million dollar machine! pretty incredible seeing the plane up close. Then we got to go in a refueling plane and learn how those work. The coolest part was getting to walk out onto the massive wing of the plane and take pictures of ourselves being stupid.
The fun continues for all of us in Kadena, looking forward to the weekend when we get to ride in hum v's and go snorkeling.