Replies

I have read everything I can get my hands on about the MV-22 Osprey aircraft. Why would I, a Marine mom, read everything I can get my hands on about the Osprey aircraft? I read about it, and learn what I can about it, because I now live a nightmare because of it. While the more techincal things often go over my head, there are some things I understand very clearly. I know that the slightest mistake kills, and even the "best of the best" cannot keep it in the air.

On April 8, 2000, 19 Marines were killed, many of them just kids. One of those Marines on board that night was my son. Just a month before the April crash, some of those very kids were on a training mission in an Osprey that almost crashed, but was saved at the last minute. When given the choice to fly back or hike out 25 miles, the kids chose to hike out. That aircraft did not crash, so it was not considered an incident and was not reported as such. Some of the families follow the progress of this aircraft, and too many times we hear of near misses. It is just a matter of time before another goes down, taking someone else's kids to their graves. I find it interesting that there has been very little said of the the lead plane that night in April. It also hit the ground very hard, skidded 450 feet, finally landing in a ravine. By the grace of God, it did not explode as my son's plane did. Instead, those Marines were evacuated and stood by to watch my son's plane burn out of control, knowing there was nothing they could do to save anyone on board.

One of the young men who died with my son told his mother to start planning his funeral because he was going to die, and he was going to die in an Osprey. He had been in the plane that had a close call the month before. This mom told her son to stop being silly...then a month later buried him. Almost every family has a story just like that one. Our kids were scared, they did not want to go on that aircraft, but they are Marines and they followed orders. Now, they are dead. What so many fail to realize is that this "thing" has destroyed lives. It has brought too many to the brink of suicide. The powers that be don't care about these young Marines who have to fly in Ospreys, or the families left behind in agonizing grief when they die. Why should they care? It's not their loved ones being forced to board this death trap. As it has proven all too well, when it crashes, there is no hope for survival. While those who push for the Osprey sit around their holiday tables, or share in various family celebrations, we, the victims of their greed, sit at a gravesite weeping, being forced to share the same memories discussed over and over these last 3 years and knowing there will never be new stories. I know what happens when one of these things crashes. I held my son, or rather, what was left of him, in my arms before he was buried, sobbing tears of agony because knew I would never hold him again. His precious body was destroyed.... there was almost nothing left. I wish that when Col. Schultz shares in his next family celebration that he is aware of those of us whose lives are left shattered. If he would not put his child on an MV-22 Osprey and send that child through the same maneuvers that my son and the others went through, then he should never put someone else's child in that same danger. My son did not sign up with the Corps to be dead in 14 months. He did not say to me, "Can't wait to fall out of the sky, all in the name of money and greed." What he said to me was that he wanted to be a Marine so we could continue to live in freedom, and he would make sure no harm came to us on his watch. How painful it is for my family to know we were not able to keep him from harm. When the recruiter came to my house to talk to me about my son going to boot camp early, I voiced to him my concerns about my son's safety. He said, "Ma'am, we would never put your son in harms way". He was either an incredible liar, or he is a very foolish man.

As you banter back and forth, please remember those of us who live with this nightmare every single second of every single day. I know there are some family members, and it is only a couple of them, who will not speak badly of the Osprey because they do not want their loved one's deaths to be in vain. My response to them is, "Too stinking late". When another aircraft flies with troops in it, all those who lost their lives will have done so for nothing. No lessons have been learned, and our grief is meaningless. God help those whose kids are signing up with the Corps today who have no idea about the MV-22 Osprey. Their kids are the next guinea pigs.

One of the many aspects of this program which is so disturbing is watching Marine GENERALS touting the civilian aviation spinoff potential of the Osprey. It makes me wonder what jobs await them at Bell and Boeing upon retirement??

If this plane is the perfect answer for busy executives, then let the GENERALS test it first. Let them fly it exclusively, between the Pentagon, Andrews AFB, and all bases within range, in all weather,in all seasons, day and night.

When the GENERALS have racked up a few thousand safe flying hours in this aircraft, THEN let them order Marine enlisted men and junior officers to fly it.

To order Marine enlisted men and JOs to fly in an aircraft the GENERALS are afraid to fly smacks of dishonor.

And I don't mean a few clear-weather daytime photo-op hops. The GENERALS need to ride this bird in all weather, all seasons, day and night for a year.

Then I will be satisfied.

When the GENERALS have racked up a few thousand safe flying hours in this aircraft, THEN let them order Marine enlisted men and junior officers to fly it.

To order Marine enlisted men and JOs to fly in an aircraft the GENERALS are afraid to fly smacks of dishonor.

And I don't mean a few clear weather daytime photo-op hops. The GENERALS need to ride this bird in all weather, all seasons, day and night for a year.

Then I will be satisfied.

My heart goes out to you and your family over the tragic and avoidable loss of your son.

I hope you will be spared the harassment and invective of those who seem to delight in ignorantly abusing anyone who impugns the suitability of the V-22 as a military transport, but I also hope you will speak out fearlessly about it.

Every aircraft design ever made has or will suffer a complete loss of engine power, and an inviolable design criterion for those that carry passengers is that the subsequent landing be survivable.

Every aircraft ever made has an uncontrollable flight region that should not be able to be entered in normal operations. That is also an inviolable design criterion.

The Osprey fails on BOTH of those criteria! When either one of them also involves the exigencies of battle, pilot fatigue, mission pressure, and the general tendency of human beings to just plain screw up, a crash will result. Human beings are always the weakest link in technology, and the design criteria are to minimize the consequences of the inevitible human failings to operate the technology safely.

As the Cato report reveals, there is no defensible mission for the V-22 that cannot be accomplished safer and cheaper by proven aircraft designs.

Semper Fi, marinemofof1, and may you be blessed in your efforts involving your son and in all aspects of your life.

While the more techincal things often go over my head, there are some things I understand very clearly. I know that the slightest mistake kills, and even the "best of the best" cannot keep it in the air.

In this respect, it is no different from the CH-46 Sea Knight or the CH-53E Super Stallion. Violation of the NATOPS manual or the maintenance publications is going to cause a fatal crash.

On April 8, 2000, 19 Marines were killed, many of them just kids. One of those Marines on board that night was my son.

Please accept my condolences on your loss.

It is just a matter of time before another goes down, taking someone else's kids to their graves.

Again, the same can be said of the current tactical lift aircraft used by the Marine Corps. Should we dispense with the concepts of vertical envelopment and operational maneuver from the sea and go back to one-dimensional beach assaults?

The powers that be don't care about these young Marines who have to fly in Ospreys, or the families left behind in agonizing grief when they die. Why should they care? It's not their loved ones being forced to board this death trap. As it has proven all too well, when it crashes, there is no hope for survival.

Look at the survival statistics for a Sea Knight or a Super Stallion. They are just as lethal in a crash--the presumption is that all aboard will perish, and any survivors are treated as God's grace.

While those who push for the Osprey sit around their holiday tables, or share in various family celebrations, we, the victims of their greed,

I have no financial interest in the Osprey; I served eight years in Marine Corps aviation, and I know what a deathtrap the Sea Knight has become. Thank you for your slander.

I wish that when Col. Schultz shares in his next family celebration that he is aware of those of us whose lives are left shattered. If he would not put his child on an MV-22 Osprey and send that child through the same maneuvers that my son and the others went through, then he should never put someone else's child in that same danger.

OK, so Col. Schulz should dragoon his children into the Marine Corps, eh?

My son did not sign up with the Corps to be dead in 14 months.

Nobody does. Unfortunately, some always do.

When the recruiter came to my house to talk to me about my son going to boot camp early, I voiced to him my concerns about my son's safety.

He said, "Ma'am, we would never put your son in harms way".

Excuse me...this is where I must hoist the "Bravo Sierra" flags.

My recruiter sat all of us down and made it 100% crystal-clear that we could be called to combat duty at any time, that even "routine peacetime training" had its dangers, and that the USMC was NOT the Boy Scouts.