Coast Guard Helo down in Mobile Bay

Status
Not open for further replies.
SamAca10 said:
Mongo, post about that in the new thread I have created. We don't care what you have to say about it in this thread. We're more concerned about the deaths, not the specifics about helicopter crashes in the water. Thank you.
Click to expand...

Amen. 4 Coast Guardsmen died on duty and this thread was to give folks the oportunity to acknowledge the loss and pay tribute to officers and Coast Guardsmen who lost their lives doing their duty.
 
Mongo said:
Pima, since apparently your desire is to commence acting in the moderator role, perhaps you should read the forum rules. I have boldfaced the pertinent parts for you:

Allow me to summarize. Factual information for candidates and parents. Prior to your quoted scoutpilot's condolences, way back on post # 2, he made a statement that is not factual, not in accordance with the forum's intent, not in the best interest of future candidate and parent readers. I ask you, should the inaccuracy be allowed to remain? If not, whose responsibility is it to correct it. The success of any forum such as this is the knowledge of all posters and their ability to ensure correct and factual information.

You never seem to see the harm of incorrect information and, along with scoutpilot, bully those who attempt to set the record straight. This thread is a textbook example. You see no harm in this statement? Analogous and totally pertinent. What if I came on the AFA forum and, every time UPT was mentioned, stated something to the effect that if a cadet goes to UPT, he will probably crash (Overwater flying is a high-risk endeavor) , and if he crashes, he will probably die (a crash usually means that good men will be surrendered to the deep). No matter where I posted this, everyone, including you, and rightfully so, would be up in arms. However, that statement basically is exactly what was stated in post #2.

Quit bullying. Acknowledge that you should never have agreed with a post about which you know nothing, and then move on.

Presently, scoutpilot and others are speculating as to the cause of the mishap. Perhaps he can enlighten us with some data as to the percentage of overwater helicopter mishaps that are pilot error. Also, perhaps I am the only one the bully moderators do not 'allow' to go off topic.
Click to expand...

What's the matter, Mongo, did they get tired of your antics at the VFW and now you're back?

Before you start quoting forum rules, I would advise you that your existence on this forum is a violation of forum rules, as you were BANNED under a previous username and are now back under a different username, once again caterwauling to all who'll hear about what a wise old sage you are and what big meanies the moderators are.

Before you start quoting the law, make sure you're on the right side of it.
 
Besides this thread being distasteful at times, I found our local news coverage of the accident last night distasteful too. They couldn't just show the wreckage, but had to compare before and after shots of the helicopter pointing out every little detail. In my opinion, it definitely crossed the line.

My heart and prayers go out to the families involved.
 
goldenlion said:
Besides this thread being distasteful at times, I found our local news coverage of the accident last night distasteful too. They couldn't just show the wreckage, but had to compare before and after shots of the helicopter pointing out every little detail. In my opinion, it definitely crossed the line.

My heart and prayers go out to the families involved.
Click to expand...

What line was crossed?
 
Scout...

Honestly, I don't know how to answer that. The thin line between reporting the news and sensationalism. The line of decency or respect. This news station was a Mobile, AL, station.

My husband is a retired USAF pilot and I was in a maintenance squadron for 7 years of my career. We have had tragedy strike our bases several times throughout our careers. Until yesterday, I always believed the local news stations reported these tragedies with respect.
 
goldenlion said:
Scout...

Honestly, I don't know how to answer that. The thin line between reporting the news and sensationalism. The line of decency or respect. This news station was a Mobile, AL, station.

My husband is a retired USAF pilot and I was in a maintenance squadron for 7 years of my career. We have had tragedy strike our bases several times throughout our careers. Until yesterday, I always believed the local news stations reported these tragedies with respect.
Click to expand...

I think that's a tough line to find. My parents are both trained journalists, though my father practiced law as well. As their son, I can say that I've been privy to a lot of these debates. I can also say that the population of actual journalists is approaching the population level of the Dodo bird.

Once there was a young man in our town (small town) who was the son of a well-known family. He moved to Columbus, OH and got into drugs. He was found dead in a back-alley. Our town newspaper (after my mother had moved on, thankfully) was quick to splash it across the front page. Their was an outcry from many a citizen that it was wrong of them to report it like that, because the "family is nice and that's insensitive."

I asked my dad what he thought, as I was only about 14 at the time. He said "What's the first responsibility of a newspaper?" I replied, "Well...to report the news as it happened." He said wryly, "No...the first responsibility is to make money. Everything else comes after that."

As far as where the line is...it's a tough call. On the one hand, these lost aviators deserve the solemn respect of decent and moral reportage, with the utmost discretion for their grieving kin. On the other hand, we are all public servants, flying the public's machines, with fuel paid for by public dollars, drawing our paychecks and incentive pay from the public coffers, doing things in the interest of the public. When something goes publicly wrong, there is an argument to be made that the public gets to know and parse all the facts.

Which argument is right? I suppose that's a matter of who is answering the question.

I hope, for the sake of all, that the local news outlets do their best to be respectful of the families and still make the necessary facts clear to all, with a minimum of sensationalism.
 
First off, my heart-felt salute to these comrades-in-arms who have given their last full measure of devotion to this great nation, and my condolences and sympathies to their families and loved ones who are now living this this tragedy.

A toast to you.

As to the way this thread has gone, with its twists and turns over what is proper, what is speculative, what is fact, and what is right in how to deal with this situation, I remind all here that we are dealing with human nature, and the fact that people deal with tragedy in their own way. Some try to deal with a tragic situation through feeling they need to be make sense of the situation, speculating in possible causes or outcomes. Nothing wrong with that-- like I said, they are trying to make sense out of the senseless.

Some take offense to that, feeling the proper way to show respect is to not speculate cause, but rather only focus on dealing with the results, such as mourning the dead and comforting those they left behind. Again, nothing wrong with that either.

Some may want to feel " part of the tragedy", or want to see images of the incident and its results so they can make sense of it. Rubber-necking traffic jams due to an accident on the opposite side of a highway are good examples, and the fact that media coverage demands images of the tragedy being another. Some may find this morbid, some may find this important. Again, human nature and a part of the thing we call the human condition.

So, take this as a lesson you young men and women who will one day command and lead the world finest military. You WILL have to deal with this type of situation one day, I WILL guarantee that fact. A tragic event either amongst your peers or the one you command. People WILL act differently in the face of that tragedy. You may not agree with the way they deal with it, but you need to understand that it happens. What is important, and first, is knowing how the ones left behind want to deal with it, and making that happen. Tragic situations lead to overly emotional times -- be the one who knows that overly emotionally times also leads to strife, and try to avoid that. But I will also guarantee that no matter how hard you try, someone's going to get their feelings hurt. Again, human nature....
 
As a Moderator, SA grad and parent I am appalled by the lack of compassion from some of the posters on this thread. Shame on you all. This accident has hit close to home and the now LTJG's of 2009 are suffering and at a loss as to how this could happen to their friend and classmate. The first loss of a classmate is always the toughest and one that they shall never forget.
This is NOT a debate. The purpose of this thread was to sent concern and prayers for the crew.
This could be any one of our sons or daughters. Read through the thread again, and this time put yourself into the shoes of the parents who are grieving for each member of that crew.
LTJG Thomas Cameron ~ you were a great friend to many in your class, possessed a wonderful sense of humour, a fantastic athlete and loved by your family and friends. You will not be forgotten. My prayers go out to the other members of the crew and especially to the family of the crew member who still has not been found. Fair winds and following seas. To all Coasties, we do appreciate you risking your lives in the effort to save others.
 
I hadn't seen this thread earlier, but the deaths definitely hit home for me. One of the officers graduated from a high school only 15 minutes from where I live.
 
Bullet said:
As to the way this thread has gone, with its twists and turns over what is proper, what is speculative, what is fact, and what is right in how to deal with this situation, I remind all here that we are dealing with human nature, and the fact that people deal with tragedy in their own way. Some try to deal with a tragic situation through feeling they need to be make sense of the situation, speculating in possible causes or outcomes. Nothing wrong with that-- like I said, they are trying to make sense out of the senseless.
Click to expand...
So very true. Of course, closure to thefamily is the most important but next is the fellow aviators whose job is to continue doing the very same mission. Combined with the fact that they are usually Type 'A' personalities who have tobe in charge of everything, including their fate, they have to have confidence in their machine, their training, their mission, and their leadership. Therefore, in order to climb back in the cockpit the morning after a major mishap is the belief that the only reason their fellow aviator is not still with them is because he did something stupid. The high percentage of helo mishaps of which pilot error is a factor substantiates this belief.
 
scoutpilot said:
I know factual reality must seem inaccurate to you. New things are always strange at first. I'm confident that the more you're around those of us who know what we're talking about and do these sorts of things regularly, the more you'll be able to open yourself up to learning. Thanks for sticking around. I look forward to seeing your journey.
Click to expand...

So...is Mongo USNA69?
 
To Mongo and Scoutpilot. No more posting in this thread for either of you. I am not going to lock it because there are some people who may wish to discuss this like decent human beings. You two are wasting everyone elses time with your childish squawking. Any further postings from either of you two with be dealt with immediately.

Stealth_81
 
Thank you ScoutPilot...God Bless the families of the men onboard, may he watch out over those who choose to risk their lives in the pursuit of saving others.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top