The opening credits from my absolute favorite T.V. Show as a kid!

Well, here it is, Dec. 03, 2007. I had my 3 day week-end off, and got to watch my Beloved Vols choke in the S.E.C. Championship game. It was announced this evening that we will be bowling in Tampa again, versus Wisconsin, in the Outback Bowl.

Anyway, here is a pic of me and Brooke on Thanksgiving. What a little Sweeite. We had a great Thanksgiving, and hope everyone else, did, as well. It was really nice, and I am glad that I was off for it.

Me and my loving wife have had a pretty good week-end off together. I swear, I don't know what I would do without her. She is totally my center, and my rock.

I anticipate Christmas will be pretty good, too. We are both off, and Rusti has busted her ass getting all the outgoing presents ready and wrapped. I don't know how she does it, really. The spare Bedroom is absolutely covered in wrapped Christmas gifts. Way to go, Sweetie. You are so well organized.

Anyway, Go Vols on Jan. 01, 2008. I will not mention the Vols history of choking in the post-season....(I guess I just did). Beat Wisconsin.

Well here it is ....almost Thanksgiving! Thanksgiving is my ALL TIME FAVORITE HOLIDAY! As it happens, our shift is off on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just luck of the draw, I guess.



We will celebrate Thanksgiving down at Larry and Sandy's (my in-laws). Sandy always puts on a great spread of food, and my brother-in-law, Curtis will be up with his family....

I was down at Food City this afternoon, and I ran into my old friend, 'Birdie' Travis Carrier. I used to work with him at the E.P.D. What a great guy. He went to J.C.P.D. and then to Iraq as a contractor. After he got back, he went to work for the Dept. of Energy. He told me that he runs into my bro-in-law, Curtis, often, down there in Oak Ridge. He also told me that he now has 4 kids...wow! He was a great Officer, and a good friend. I was glad to see him.

There will be some changes at the Airport in January. Every year they do the shift change thing. If any poor, pitiful Night Shift guys wanna work Dayshift, that is the time. I love working straight night shifts. However, it looks like, due to defections from shift 4 to day shift, that I will be moving to shift 4. I will prolly be '403' which will be the absolute height of irony, being that was my last call-sign at the Elizabethton Police Dept.

Anyway, Happy Thanksgiving, All, Especially my Lovely Wife, Rusti....I sure do love you, honey. You are the one that I am thankful for!!!

Well, today, Rusti and I got back from the Smokey Mountain Criminal Justice Conference, Hosted by the East Tenneessee Human Resources Agency, in Gatlinburg. What a week. We both dreaded going, and leaving our home, and our little Boston Terrier, Tommie Girl.

The Conference, and, the week, passed by pretty quickly. We got to hang out a little bit, had some good food, and did some shopping. We stayed at the 'Conference' Hotel, the Edgewater Inn, in Gatlinburg.

http://www.edgewater-hotel.com/

Believe me, folks, this is the hotel from Hell. Too many horror stories about the hotel to even go into here, but suffice it to say, this is not even a 1 star resort. We got it done, and we are both sooo glad to be back in our wonderful little home. Anyway, hope all is well with all.

Feist - 1 2 3 4

Coach's that Suck Square Dancing

Star in Your Own JibJab! It's Free!

Kid Rock - So Hott

You gotta love 'The Kid'! Posting several videos lately, but, you gotta admit, they all kick ass!

Johnny Cash God's Gonna Cut You Down

Awesome Video!

Sarah Silverman - (8) German Cars*

Just another quickie. Here is the B-24 that was at the Tri. Number 18 off the production line out of almost 19,000.

You just never know what you will see at KTRI. I saw a Bariev flying boat the other night on the General Aviation ramp. Unreal. I am still loving it out here. Probably the best job that I ever had. Law Enforcement + Aviation. Doesn't get much better than that. I still feel sorry for all of the guys stuck at the Carter Co. Sheriff's Office under the new Management Team. It seems that there are 2 camps....the sucks (sell-outs), and those that are trying to hang onto their jobs. Pathetic. Too bad that it had to come to this.

I just wanted to post a quickie, to congratulate Appy State on their victory over Michigan (formally Div. 1 # 5 in the nation). Most sports outlets are calling it the "Upset of the Century"!

This game will be talked about for years. Not to 'jump on the bandwagon', or anything, but you can count me in the number of Mountaineer fans.

My beloved Vols lost to Cal. Not the end of the world, but our problems simply will not go away without a MAJOR shake-up in Knoxville! 'Nuff said about that.

It's been awile since I've updated. I just wanted to post a quick update of some goings-on at the Tri. We shipped out another batch (6) of Bell Jet Ranger Helicopters to the Columbian Air Force. The Jet Rangers were 'finished' in Piney Flats. How bizzare is that?

We were also paid a visit, recently by one of only 2 fly-able B-24's left in the world. It was restored and operated by the Commenrative Air Force out of Texas. They used to be called the 'Confederate Air Force', but had to change their name, in the name of Political Correctness. The B-24 was the backbone of the 8th Air Force, during the daylight bombing campaign of Germany, during World War 2. The B-17 (one of my favorite aircraft) got most of the glory, being a better looking plane, however, the Consolidated B-24 Liberator could carry a heavier payload, had more range, and could fly higher. It was a thrill to get to see a B-24 in real life, and climb aboard her. I got to hear her start her massive radial engines, and got to observe a take-off. It was fantastic. The particular B-24 that was at the Tri, was 18th off the production line (remember almost 19,000 were produced during the war) and was delivered to the Army Air Forces in 1941.

This was my long week-end off, however, I had to work over Saturday, due to the Nascar Race. Everyone who knows me, knows my disdain for Nascar. I guess everyone has their own thing. My passion is U.T. Football. I just for the life of me, can't understand the fascination with watching cars go around in a circle. If anyone thinks Nascar is blue-collar, you should have seen the BILLIONS of dollars in private jets at the Tri, and the non-stop helicopter flights to the track. Unreal. Yet some poor slob living in a hollow somewhere will spend 3 or 4 months salary to go root for these 'American Royalty'. In my mind, the old joke holds true: NASCAR = Non Athletic Sport Centered Around Rednecks. lol.

In other news, Dog the Bounty Hunter, and his big-boobed, fat trashy wife passed through the Tri recently. It seems that Dog was going to speak at the Fountain of Life (Biker) Church in Johnson City. Apparently, Beth (the wife) was somewhat un-happy that one of her bags received a minor scratch, and made a big scene, cursing the workers at U.S. Airways. That's nice. Speaking at a church, and cussing low-level ramp workers. Life is funny sometimes, ain't it!

Anyway, more later.

Today is Wednesday, July 25, 2007. I was off yesterday and today, with the exception of having to go into the Airport this evening at 18:00 for C.P.R. training and re-certification.

We were finished by about 20:30, so that was cool. I used to have to maintain a C.P.R. certification when I worked for the City of Elizabethton. When I went back to the Sheriff's Dept., I let it go. If I had my druthers, I'd rather not be certified in it. There are several reasons, and I imagine most of you can figure out why I would say that. Anyway, it's done and over with, so I am now re-certified. It is looking more and more like I will have to attend first responder, also. Yuck. I HATE the medical end of this job. I can put up with the fire-fighting part, but I sure as hell am not a medic. Kinda puts me in mind of the old saying.....Jack of all trades.....

Everything is good on the home front. I made it home tonight before my lovely wife, Rusti went to bed. She had a horrific day in court today. Court didn't even adjourn until after 19:00. Unbelievable. I was glad that I got to spend a little time with her before she had to go to bed. I figured that the training would keep me past her bed-time. If you're reading, honey, I love you!

Anyway, I guess that's about it for now, loyal reader. Hope all is well with everyone.

Here's a few pics from the Tri. A local helicopter finishing company in Blountville finished some Bell Jet Rangers for the Columbian Air Force. As if that wasn't bizarre enough, a C-17 from the 437th Wing at Charleston A.F.B., SC ( my old unit) came to the Tri to transport the copters to Columbia.

Ya just never know what you will see at Tri-Cities Regional Airport.

Later.

I just came across this image. I thought it was really good, and just wanted to post it.

O.K., here is a pic of my Jeep. What a cool vehicle! Who doesn't love a Jeep?

Anyway, just a short post to say 'hi' to anyone reading this lame-ass blog.

TTYL

Kev

Hey guys, I'm still here. I haven't posted much lately. Everything is going well at the TRI, & I am extremely thankful for my job there, considering all the B.S. that is going on at the Carter County Sheriff's Dept. I guess I should correct myself: it is now the 'Carter Co. Sheriff's Office'. The Department is being totally destroyed from the inside out.

Anyway, that is not my cross to bear. I just wanted to post a little something, since I have been somewhat inactive lately. If anyone reads this lame-ass blog, I hope that you are doing well, also.

I'll try to be a little more active on here. Peace, out.

Tombstone - Smokewagon

You gotta love "Tombstone"!

I haven't updated in a couple of weeks, and this update is probably kinda somber.

Yesterday, Rusti told me that they had 'un-veiled' or opened part of the new Veteran's Wall in Elizabethton, and that they had placed my and my Dad's 'bricks' side-by-side. She said that she about cried when she saw it.

We went down there and took a couple of pics. I really don't know how the 'bricks' were placed, because they were not strictly alphabetical. It did, however, make me proud that Dad & I will be on that wall together for many, many years. I called Mom and told her about it, and she cried. She told me that Dad had anticipated the Memorial in the worst way, and that he really wanted to see it completed. It is just a shame that he passed away before he got to see his 'brick'. I feel like he would've been proud, also, that he and I were placed side by side.

Dad - If you have internet access in Heaven, I hope you read this. I continue to miss ya, buddy! I still can't believe you are gone, but I know you are in a better place, and I know this is a stronger country for the service you rendered in the United States Navy!

That's all I have to say about that.

Here is the sign for the Trolley Square Mall in Salt Lake City, Utah. Trolley Square Mall is a very unique mall, Sitting in the Downtown Area, and made up of inter-connected old, refurbished buildings from an earlier age. It is also the site of a tragic shooting that occurred last year, when an active shooter entered the Mall and started taking shots. He was eventually taken down by an off-duty Ogden Police Officer.

Trolley Square Mall is also the site of the Hard Rock Cafe in Salt Lake City. Steve Terry (the guy that was with me from the Tri-Cities Regional Airport Dept. of Public Safety) and I ate there one night. The food was excellent, and the memorabillia collection was awesome. I have a 'thing' for the Hard Rock Cafe, and try to visit every one that I get a chance to. I'd love to go to the 'Original' Hard Rock in London. Someday, I'd like to take Rusti to Salt Lake City. It is such a city of contrasts. A very, very unusual place.

The other pic that I'm gonna post is another from our Night Burn at A.A.R.F. School. I am approximately the second from the right. What a cold night....

Hey everybody. Here is a pic of me on the ramp at Salt Lake City International Airport. The mountains out there were absolutely gorgeous. They were snow capped, and appeared to be devoid of any vegetation. A lot different from our mountains here in East Tennessee.

A.R.F.F. School is done and over with, and now comes the challenge of getting really proficient with it. The basic school taught me some valuable skills, but it also taught me how much I still have to learn. Maybe at some point, I can get the advanced school.

At the SLC school, they use Oshkosh Striker apparatus. Thanks to my Lt., I got plenty of wheel time in our E-One Titans, prior to going there. I will definitely have to say that I like our E-One's alot better than the Oshkosh rigs. The only thing that the Oshkosh rigs have going for them, is that they hold twice the fire-fighting agents. The controls on the E-One's are better laid out and a lot more user friendly.

A.A.R.F. is a federal certification (in conjunction with the Federal Aviation Administration). My Lt. pointed out the other night that hardly anyone in this area has the certification. It makes for good job security, I guess.

The other pic that I'm gonna post is a group shot from A.A.R.F. School on the night of our night burn. I am in the top left of the photo. It was really, really cold the night that the pic was taken. Anyway, I guess I'll post more later.....

I just got back yesterday from Salt Lake City,

Utah. I had to go out there for my ARFF (Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting) Training. What an exhaustive week! I will go into more details later, however, I wanted to publish (what I consider) my best two pictures from out there.

The first is just a pic of one of the mountain ranges on a cold, snowy, overcast day.

It stayed consistently windy out there, and the temperature fluctuated wildly. As luck would have it, on Wednesday, when we had to do our night training, it snowed, and the temperature was low, and the wind was extremely high. Awful conditions for Aircraft fire fighting.

Anyway, the first pic is just of the mountains. The other picture is of the ATCT (Air Traffic Control Tower) at Salt Lake City International Airport. I think that both pics came out very nice. I'll post more later of my experiences out there.

Who would've ever thought that I'd be a Fireman? Weird.

I'm off today, and just wanted to post a couple of pics that I got last night at work. We had two F-16's from Lackland AFB, Texas on the ramp. They were used as the fly-over birds to open the Martinsville Nascar Race on Sunday afternoon. Their Squadron is evidently named the "Lone Star Gunslingers". Apparently one of the pilots had family in the Blountville area, so they remained over-night at the Tri.

I couldn't believe the drop tank on this bird. Dale Earnhart. What a trip.

It brought back a lot of memories from my days at Incirlik, Air Base, Turkey, when I was younger. We were the forward operating base for the 401st Tactical Fighter Wing, based at Torrejon Air Base, Spain. The 401st operated F-16's, so we had them on the base constantly.

Anyway, all is still going well at the Tri. I'm loving my new job, but I feel bad for the good guys left at the Sheriff's Department, under that 'management team'. Some of the guys there have evidently embraced the 'dark side', and I hope they get all that they wished for.

More later.

Just a short post. We carry Sig-Sauer P229's at the Tri. Nothing but the best, right? I have to go back to work again on Friday Night. I still have trouble believing that Day Shifts don't even figure into the equation. After working years of the 'Eastman' schedule, it just seems so unreal!

My flight itenerary has been confirmed, and I leave April 15th to go to Salt Lake City, Utah for ARFF (Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting) training. My flight leaves the TRI and connects through Atlanta-Hartsfield, so it should be interesting.

More later.

Just posting a few more images from the Tri. This is Kevin Harvick's Lear Jet that was parked on the ramp the other night. Lots of General Aviation Aircraft for the Nascar race. Couple shots of Engine 3, and a shot of one of the Police Vehicles. More later.

Just wanted to post a quick update. I am off today, thru the week-end. I had kind of an odd, flash-back thought the other day. I had finished up my shifts and had a few days off, when I thought 'I gotta go back on day-shifts, when I go back to work'. Then I quickly realized that, no, I go back to nights again. What a great feeling! Working a straight shift is sooo nice. Especially when the straight shift is night-shift!


I am really loving my new job. I work with a great bunch of guys, and the job, itself, is very interesting. It is a lot different from what I left. The ARFF (Aircraft Rescue & Fire Fighting) part of the job is bringing new challenges, and presents a lot to learn. The Fire Apparatus that we have are amazing, in thier technology and capabilities. My Lieutenant let me drive Engine One (pictured) quite a bit the other night to get used to it. I even backed it into the bay at the end, and amazed myself...lol. It is about 13' tall and has a 685 horsepower turbo-diesel engine. It cost nearly one million dollars, making it clearly the biggest, most powerful, most expensive vehicle that I have ever driven. The tires on it are nearly as tall as I am.

I am getting more used to the layout of the runways, taxi-ways, and intersections on the airfield. We do two nightly inspections of the entire airfield. One is a lighting isnpection, and the other is an inspection for Foreign Objects & Debris (FOD). The lighting inspection is done while the Air Traffic Control Tower is still active and air traffic is still inbound. You have to radio the tower to get clearence, just as aircraft do. It's pretty cool.

I also wish to thank my loving wife for making my transition soo seamless. Without her support, love and encouragement, my change of jobs would not have been nearly so easy. Rusti, sweetie, you are my world!

Anyway, I am rambling now. Suffice it to say, the job is very, very cool. Hope all is well with everyone.

I just got off of my first 12 hour shift at the Airport. Today I worked 12:00 - Midnight, which I will be working again tommorrow. Although a strange set of hours, it was pretty interesting and not near as bad as I thought it would be. I will be going to 'my' shift, which is Shift 3, on Friday night. My call sign will be '303'. I got to meet my new lieutenant tonight, as he came on at 18:00 (6:00 P.M.). He seems like a really great guy, and I liked him instantly. The more that I got to talk to him, the more I liked him. I am excited about my new shift, and I think everything is going to work out really well.

On a sad note, however, over the past week-end, my old shift at the Carter County Sheriff Dept., had to cover a three day week-end, Friday, Saturday, & Sunday (on the day shift), with 2 Deputies on the road. Think about that for a minute. 2 Deputies to cover a County the size of Carter County. Unbelievable. That's really great planning on the part of the new 'Management Team'. I wonder if the Citizens of Carter County have any idea, whatsoever, on what is going on at that Department. Not only is it unsafe for the Citizens, it is unsafe for the TWO Deputies on duty!

Maybe one of these days the truth will emerge. More later.

Today is Saturday, March 10, 2007. I had a busy week, starting the new job, and all. I had all the usual administrative tasks to complete, (W-2, Insurance, etc.), plus I had to learn as much about the Airport as I could. They usually keep 'new guys' in training for 2 weeks, but I got cut loose after one. I worked Monday through Friday on day shift. There is definitely alot of new stuff for me to learn. Taxi-way and Runway designations for one thing. Being part of a Public Safety Dept., I have to get up to speed on all of the fire stuff. They call it ARFF (Airport Rescue & Fire Fighting). The Fire Apparatus at the Airport is truly impresive. The cockpit looks like the cockpit of the Space Shuttle to me, with all of the various controls, switches and buttons.

They are sending me to ARFF school in Salt Lake City, Utah next month. I am definitely looking forward to it, as it will be a new experience, along with the fact that I have never been to that part of the country. I also get to fly out there, which I am looking forward to. (I love to fly).

Everyone at the Department has been so nice to me this week. It really seems like a great bunch of guys. Chief Barron is a trip, and really fun to be around. Lt. Wiley and Lt. Barnsworth have been very helpful on my first week. PSO's Sells, Greenway, & Harrell (Scooby) have been great to work with. Sgt. R. Stout (who is another Carter Countian), has been most gracious. I really feel like this is gonna be a great job, and great Department to be a part of.

I love aircraft, as I have mentioned before. This week I got to board (and check out the cockpits) of an ATR, a DeHavilland Dash-8, as well as a Delta Connection Regional Jet Embracer. It was really cool. I also got to talk with some of the flight crews. I also got to check out some general aviation aircraft, including a Cirrus (which was really nice), a Rockwell Commander, several Pipers, including Barrons & King Airs, and got to watch an old Rockwell Sabreliner power up, taxi & take off.

Overall, it was a very interesting week. I am working a kinda weird shift Monday & Tuesday, 12:00 noon till 12:oo midnight. After that, I start on 'my shift', which is Shift 3, on night shift Friday night. I am sure that I have left a bunch of stuff out, but I wanted to get something posted here, about my first week. More later.

Here's a pic of my old buddy (and former sargeant) T. Lowe in his new Honda S2000. Very nice car. T. came over yesterday, and he drove me the back way to the Airport. I had been that way once before, but I couldn't remember the exact route. Anyway, I think it's a little closer than going through Johnson City. I sure am going to miss working with T. We were partners in the Carter Co. Jail, years ago, when only 2 jailors were on duty at any given time. These last couple of years, when I have been on shift 2, were the first time that we have gotten to work directly together, since we were in the jail.

Anyway, just wanted to post the pic. More later.

Hey, I guess it's time to post my 'Big News'. If you haven't already figured it out on your own, or heard it through the rumor mill, well here goes......drumroll, please....

My association with the Carter County Sheriff's Dept. is coming to an end, and I am starting a new chapter in my life as a Police Officer for the Tri-Cities Regional Airport. I had to wait until I turned in my official notice to the Sheriff's Department (which I did this morning), before posting my news here. I will certainly miss all of my friends at the Sheriff's Department, along with all by buds from the Elizabethton Police Department, and the great folks at Carter County Emergency Communications District (9-1-1). I hope to keep in touch with all you guys, but it still won't be the same as working with you every day. This announcement, is, naturally, bittersweet at this time, simply because of all the great people that I have had the privelege of working with.

I start at the Airport Dept. of Public Safety on Monday, March 5, 2007. I am looking very forward to my new job, and all the new challenges it will present. I am sure that I will get to meet a lot of great new people. I have always been an aviation buff, and I love being around planes, airports, airbases, or anything to do with aviation. Maybe, someday, I will even get my own pilot's liscense, who knows! The Chief of my new Department has been very friendly and warm. I look forward to working for him.

I am scheduled to attend an aircraft/airport firefighter's school in Salt Lake City, Utah in the middle of April. I think it will be very interesting, and I look forward to the flight out there. I have never been to that part of the country before. I will include a link to the school below.

Anyway, I will close for now, and will post more later, as developments unfold.

http://www.slcairport.com/arff/index.htm

Haven't posted anything recent. I will make a bigger post real soon, so check back, ladies and gentlemen!

Check out this picture. It was developed in August of 1966. The picture is of my Great Uncle Jack (the Brother of my beloved Granny), and his wife, my Great Aunt Margaret. They are both dead, at this point in time.

The interesting thing that I wish to point out, is the Boston Terrier. Uncle Jack always had Bostons and Bulldogs. The Boston Terrier in this picture looks alot like my little Tommie Girl. No, I don't remember this particular dog, (I had just turned 2 years old at the time), but I do remember 'Uncle' Jack having Bostons. Anyway, the picture was taken on my Grand-Dad's & Granny's Carport.

Anyway, I (hopefully), will be releasing some BIG NEWS on Monday or Tuesday. So check back.

Peace, Out!

Today is Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2007. It is the day that I would normally start my three night shifts on "Hell Week". However, I took them off, so I don't have to go back to work until next Monday on our long set of day shifts.

I just wanted to post a quick update about Blogger's new interface. It makes it a lot easier to control the blog without punching in a bunch of HTML code. Hence, I was able to post the picture of Tommie Girl on the top right of the blog, as well as edit my links. I will change the links from time to time, but I just put a sampling up to see how they worked on the new system.

I hope to be able to make this blog a little bit more interesting. I'm still trying to figure out the 'Google Widgets', and when I get that figured out, I should be able to add even more intesting content.

On an unrelated note, I would like to wish my lovely wife, Rusti, a very Happy Valentines Day! I love you, Sweetie, and you make my life complete. More later.