El Sweato

Mike spent this week in El Sweato (El Centro) bouncing for the boat, very hot. A friend of mine, whose husband was bouncing also, and I drove over for a day and a half to watch and see what it is that these guys are doing out there. It was 108 degrees when we got there. We arrived in time to see the de-brief of the afternoon flights and then a brief for that evenings flights. After the briefs and a quick bite to eat Jennifer and I rode out to the "shack". It had cooled down to 92 degrees by then. The Landing Signal Officers sit at the end of the runway near the middle of the carrier box and talk the planes down to the deck. (The carrier box outlines a portion of runway that represents a carrier deck.) The LSO's are responsible for making sure the aircraft is coming in safely and will be able to trap (hook a wire) when they touch down. Needless to say you are pretty close to the jet as it takes off and lands. Jennifer and I were able to stand outside next to the runway while our guys took off in full afterburners! My body was shaking from head to toe from the power and noise! COOL! Once inside the shack the LSO's let us respond to our husbands ball call with "Roger Ball" and one "Right for Lineup”. Jennifer gave her sexiest Marilyn Monroe "Roger Ball” for the XO!! Over all the trip was such a neat experience for us wives to see first hand what our husbands are doing day in and day out. It was 106 when we left El Sweato.