a Daniel Howell blog
Posted in Airman Howell on Dec 27th, 2009
Back in 1997, I was assigned to the 35th Maintenance Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan. My friend asked for my help with writing his performance evaluation. After having observed him for a year, I had some ideas that he could use. Amazingly enough, I still have the list: SSgt Barry’s* Enlisted Performance Report Stuff (for his [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Nov 12th, 2009
When I was in Saudi Arabia, our little detachment of the U-2 community had a couple of trucks. My favorite was a Ford F-250 quad cab extended bed diesel affectionately named Rosanne. Rosanne was large, angry, frothed at the mouth, extremely loud, ridiculously in need of maintenance, and handled with the grace of a rhinoceros [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Aug 8th, 2009
I never got an incentive-flight on a U-2 trainer, but I’ve ridden the wing while it taxied on Taif AB in Saudi Arabia, sat under the tip of the tail while the engine was running, and watched a girl chunk a ground cable into the fuel-dump socket, which almost set the entire flightline on fire. [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on May 18th, 2009
First published in February, 2008, this was my introduction to Air Force basic training. This story relates something of which I’m not particularly proud, but in my defense… ah heck. Just read and hopefully enjoy. 3708th Basic Military Training Squadron, Flight 262, Dorm A7, Lackland AFB, San Antonio, Texas. March 30, 1991. Four o’clock in [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on May 10th, 2009
The first time I posted this, some people did not heed my warning about food and the disasterous affects this story may have upon it. So listen up! If you’re near food, or ever considering eating in the near-future, don’t read this. Back at Beale AFB again, going to the dental clinic for the first [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on May 4th, 2009
It isn’t my goal to just string Airman Howell stories here, but things on the home front have been exceptionally busy. This story was originally posted in March, 2008. Hopefully I’ll have something fresh soon. “GET ON THE BUS!” And we did, all 50 or so of us who had a week left at basic [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Apr 29th, 2009
Originally published on 25 January 2008, this is one of my best stories in terms of composition. The ending is probably the best I’ve ever written; this story’s snappiness is what I strive for every time. I worked Defensive Electronic Countermeasures (DECM) and Electronic Sensor Systems (ESS) on U-2s at several installations around the world, [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Apr 22nd, 2009
Originally posted on BigRedKitty in January 2008, this story is one of the first I ever wrote. It evolved from a thank-you note I sent to the 15th Special Operations squadron that got passed around the whole building, the friends of “Frank” being very happy to make fun of him. I could spend a few [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Apr 18th, 2009
I originally posted this story in February, 2008. Yes, Heyred1 did indeed become Mrs. Howell. Yes, I am incredibly lucky. February, 1996. Maybe March. Possibly April. May? Whatever. It feels like it was a Friday, but if I’m wrong, that’s not the important part of the story. And it also feels like it was early [...]
Posted in Airman Howell on Apr 10th, 2009
During my time in the Air Force, one of my assignments was flightline and backshop maintenance on several electronic sensor suites on board U-2 reconnaissance aircraft. A three-month deployment to RAF Fairford during the Bosnia crisis gave us the opportunity to be in charge of the launch team. Launching a U-2 is no simple thing, [...]
