Shawn Curry wrote:

...operate a $25 million dollar jet aircraft in the defense of our national objectives.

WTF? You don't mean 757s do you?

No Shawn. Actually, I was trying to make an estimate of the cost of
an F-16 ($26.9 million FY98).
I am not aware of any 757s in the U.S. Air Force inventory (yet).

If your remark is a slight about an Academy grad leaving the Air Force
after honorable serving out his training commitment and applying his
learned skill to an airline job:

1. How is that any different than ROTC grad engineer type doing the
same and mustering out to a job at a Denver Construction firm?
(It's not.)

2. What's wrong with it?
(Nothing--taxpayers paid are back in full for the educational
expenditure. BTW, the payback is over 10 years of active duty service
now--much of the time living forward deployed in tent cities in
hostile foreign environments in wartime conditions.)

3. And why is it any business of yours?
(It damn sure ain't.)

4. And what does all this have to do with recreational soaring?
(Nothing. But your now two egregious statements against Air Force
Academy Cadets/Graduates begs retort. I would not have been compelled
to get involved if only you would have exercised some discretion and
not made a snide, unrelated, and untrue comment about Cadets ripping
the wings off of aircraft. Let's just stick to the script, shall we.)

Do you mean "In defense of our nation from all foes foreign and
domestic" or something like that, maybe defense of the Constitution?

As opposed to teaching underpriviledged kids to read by strafing them?
As opposed to increasing the GDP by transporting chocolat bars to
Afganistan?
Yes, of course I meant in defense of our nation--which has always been
the prime national objective.
Yes, indeed--silly you!

RD