U.S. military pilots have been warned to straighten up and fly right by Japanese politicians concerned about the reported lapses in discipline by Marine pilots at a base in western Japan. The Japanese defense ministry is reportedly ready to formally request assurances from the U.S. that residents around Marine Station Iwakuni are safe after a report by the U.S. military on a fatal 2018 crash of a fighter and tanker aircraft revealed less than strict adherence to military procedures by pilots in the unit, including their CO.
Welcome to the politically correct military. It is going to take a generation of two to undo the mess that the Obama regime made of the military.
Flying without that mask on in many circumstances is a very good idea. Ditto the visor, again, under certain circumstances.
That list of complaints about “behavior”? What do you expect of a bunch of young, high tempo troops stationed far from home with limited ways to “unwind”? That list of “offenses” applies to each and every group of people of any ilk anywhere in the world. The only exceptions are probably various groups of strongly religious folks. Heck, they posted a story last week about 4 Catholic Nuns that got pregnant.
The real issue here is that the Japanese, in general, aren’t happy having the US Military on their territory. I make absolutely no complaints here, it is just a general fact that they, as a population, would rather have us elsewhere. None of the behaviors that mayor listed are foreign to the Japanese population, not at all. They are pretty good at covering such behavior up and sweeping it under the rug.
I can, with a totally clear conscience, state that their fighter pilots act in a very similar method when “far from home”, exactly like every other nationality of crewmembers! At least a handful out of every group. No surprises here.
Well I can’t type this am. The comment about the mask and visor on the third line above should have read “isn’t” vice “is”. Completely the opposite of what I typed in. Apparently I can’t proof well this am either.
No. Pilots should adhere to the policies in place - No exception! If they don’t like the rules, let them get another job! Aviation, if anything teaches us to be within a certain window of acceptance.
Maybe the locals are not being taught history in school? if the situation was reversed, how would Japanese troops act in lands that they defeat in a war? Just sayin’