The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

CAPT Dan 'Darth' Cain - Part 2 - Tomcat RIO antics - The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

Welcome to the Fighter Pilots’ Guide to Living. Today’s guest is retired Captain Dan 'Darth' Cain. In the second episode about his illustrious career, we talk about his transition to the F-14 Tomcat, adventures, and Mutha.About Darth:Captain Dan Cain USN (Ret) was born in Lake City, Florida. He served six years in the United States Marine Corps with a Vietnam tour in 1966-1967. He entered the Navy through the Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida July 1974; receiving his commission as an Ensign November 1974.Following his designation as a Naval Aviator in June 1975, Captain Cain reported to VS-33 in November 1975, He next reported to VT-86, NAS Pensacola, Florida for Radar Intercept Officer Instructor duty. In April 1980, transitioned to the F-14A transition with the "Gunfighters" of VF-124.After being part of VF-211, VF-124, VF-191, VF-1, he was next assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two, as the Airwing Operations Officer from June 1988 to August 1990, and subsequently reported to the VF-21 "Freelancers" as Executive Officer. In October 1991, he became Skipper of the "Fighting Freelancers." In January 1993 Captain Cain became the staff Operations Officer for the Commander of the Pacific Fleet Fighters Squadrons, for their transition to the F-14D "Super Tomcat". Upon completion of this staff tour, he reported to the USS Constellation (CV-64) for a tour as the Air Boss accumulating two additional cruises. In September 1995 Captain Cain reported to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for a joint service tour (J-8) as the Navy Deputy Director for the "All Service Combat Identification Evaluation Team" (ASCIET) then next as the JSOC Navy Director of a special program. Captain Cain became the Executive Officer of Naval Aviation Schools Command, Pensacola, Florida where he was selected for Captain. He was then assigned to the staff of Commander Naval Education & Training as NROTC Professional Development Head. In Jan. 2003 Captain Cain was temporary reassigned overseas to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Force-20/Special Forces and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star and numerous campaign and Joint Forces unit awards. Operationally, Captain Dan Cain has accumulated more than 6000 flight hours in various fighter aircraft, with over 4200 hours in Tomcats and over 1400 carrier landings. Captain Cain has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguish Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 Gold Stars, Air Medal with 3 Strike/Flight and V, Navy Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, Navy Achievement Medal with Gold Star, Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star, Presidential Unit Citations, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citations, Good Conduct Medals (USMC), Expeditionary Medals, Humanitarian Service Medals, Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Gold Star and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm and various campaign medals for military services covering the span of three wars. Captain Dan “Darth” Cain retired from the United States Navy 1st February 2004 and has been married for 50 years to the former Kathy J. Williams of Pensacola, Florida. About the hosts: Mitch 'TACO' Parmentier has 16 years of experience with the F/A-18 Super Hornet as a Weapons System Operator (WSO). He has a longstanding love of aviation and history that he brings to the podcast. Beth Bailey was raised by F-14 Radar Intercept Officer Glen 'Wheels' Wheless and grew up around aviators and their unique brand of storytelling for most of her childhood. Beth worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner, and host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast.

CAPT Dan 'Darth' Cain - Part 1 - USMC infantry and the S-3 - The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

Welcome to the Fighter Pilots’ Guide to Living. Today’s guest is retired Captain Dan 'Darth' Cain. In the first episode about Darth's career, we discuss his Vietnam War experience as a Marine Corps infantryman and his later transition to flying in the Navy.About Darth:Captain Dan Cain USN (Ret) was born in Lake City, Florida. He served six years in the United States Marine Corps with a Vietnam tour in 1966-1967. He entered the Navy through the Aviation Officer Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida July 1974.Following his designation as a Naval Aviator in June 1975, Captain Cain reported to VS-33 in November 1975. He next reported to VT-86, NAS Pensacola, Florida for Radar Intercept Officer Instructor duty. In April 1980, he traveled to "Fightertown USA", NAS Miramar, California for F-14A transition training with the "Gunfighters" of VF-124.After being part of VF-211, VF-124, VF-191, VF-1, he was next assigned to Carrier Air Wing Two, as the Airwing Operations Officer from June 1988 to August 1990, and subsequently reported to the VF-21 "Freelancers" as Executive Officer.In October 1991, he became Skipper of the "Fighting Freelancers", still assigned to the USS Independence (CV-62). Captain Cain completed his eleventh cruise in the fall of 1992, culminating in leading the "Fighting Freelancers." In January 1993 Captain Cain became the staff Operations Officer for the Commander of the Pacific Fleet Fighters Squadrons, for their transition to the F-14D "Super Tomcat". Upon completion of this staff tour, he reported to the USS Constellation (CV-64) for a tour as the Air Boss accumulating two additional cruises. These sea tours added to a total of nine years at sea and to the equivalent of 14 cruises.In September 1995 Captain Cain reported to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida for a joint service tour (J-8) as the Navy Deputy Director for the "All Service Combat IdentificationEvaluation Team" (ASCIET) then next as the JSOC Navy Director of a special program, “Joint Night Close Air Support Program”, (JCAS).Following his joint tours, Captain Cain became the Executive Officer of Naval Aviation Schools Command, Pensacola, Florida where he was selected for Captain. He was then assigned to the staff of Commander Naval Education & Training as NROTC ProfessionalDevelopment Head.In Jan. 2003 Captain Cain was temporary reassigned overseas to Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC), Task Force-20/Special Forces as one of its Component Commanders in support of “Operation Iraqi Freedom”, where he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star and numerous campaign and Joint Forces unit awards for his role in highly classified operations.Operationally, Captain Dan Cain has accumulated more than 6000 flight hours in various fighter aircraft, with over 4200 hours in Tomcats, while accumulating over 1400 carrier landings. Captain Cain has been awarded the Legion of Merit, Distinguish Flying Cross, Bronze Star, Purple Heart, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with 3 GoldStars, Air Medal with 3 Strike/Flight and V, Navy Commendation Medal with two Gold Stars, Navy Achievement Medal with Gold Star, Combat Action Ribbon with Gold Star, Presidential Unit Citations, Joint Meritorious Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citations, Good Conduct Medals (USMC), Expeditionary Medals, Humanitarian Service Medals, Vietnam Cross ofGallantry with Gold Star and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with palm and various campaign medals for military services covering the span of three wars.Captain Dan “Darth” Cain retired from the United States Navy 1st February 2004 with a total of 36 years of honorable military service.Captain Dan Cain has been married for 50 years to the former Kathy J. Williams of Pensacola, Florida and resides In Conroe, Texas

Back Again, Baby? Cowboy Time on the Maverick Act at The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

Welcome to the Fighter Pilots’ Guide to Living. Today, we're talking about the Maverick Act, and the news that three beloved F-14 Tomcats are being brought out of the boneyard to be returned to the public. We've brought on retired CDR Jerry 'Ribit' Merritt and retired LCDR Jon 'Hooter' Schreiber, both of whom have considerable time in the big fighter. They talk about their feelings on this development and their best memories in the F-14. We hope you enjoy.About the hosts:Mitch 'TACO' Parmentier has 16 years of experience with the F/A-18 Super Hornet as a Weapons System Operator (WSO). He has a longstanding love of aviation and history that he brings to the podcast.Beth Bailey was raised by F-14 Radar Intercept Officer Glen 'Wheels' Wheless and grew up around aviators and their unique brand of storytelling for most of her childhood. Beth worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner, and host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast.

LT COL Mike 'Magoo' McGee - Part 5 - Reserves, Op Noble Eagle - The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

Welcome to the Fighter Pilots’ Guide to Living. Today’s guest is retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mike 'Magoo' McGee.In the final episode about Magoo's career flying the A-10, F-15, and F/A-18, we focus on his time in the USAF Reserves, and his participation in Operation Noble Eagle following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. We also talk about his transition out of the military, and his aviation art.About Magoo:Mike was born in 1964 and grew up outside of Boston, Mass. The son of an Air Force veteran, his dad took him to the 1968 Hanscom AFB airshow at 4, and seeing the Thunderbirds F-100 Super Sabres set the hook for his lifelong dream to become a fighter pilot. A 1987 graduate of UMass Amherst, he was commissioned a 2nd Lt through Air Force ROTC. Mike earned his coveted silver pilot's wings in 1989 from the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training program at Sheppard AFB, TX. After pipeline training to include Survival, Water Survival, and Lead In Fighter Training at Holloman AFB, NM in the AT-38B, he completed A-10 Warthog Replacement Training at Davis Monthan AFB, AZ. His first operational assignment was to Myrtle Beach AFB, SC as part of the 355th TFS "Fightin' Falcons." He was soon deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Shield. An aviation artist as well, he killed time in the desert painting nose art on the unit's Warthogs. Mike flew 36 night attack combat missions in Desert Storm. Upon return from the Gulf, he was selected for transition to the F-15C Eagle. Based out of Elmendorf AFB, AK, Mike flew the Eagle all over the Pacific rim from Singapore to Guam. After that he was an F-15 RTU Instructor and Flight Commander at Tyndall AFB, FL teaching new fighter pilots how to fly and fight in the Eagle. He then served on exchange with the US Navy as an F/A-18 instructor pilot at Strike Fighter Weapons School Pacific, NAS Lemoore, CA. He was OIC of the unit's Advanced Tactical Training Program, as well as the AIM-120 SME and a qualified SFARP instructor in all phases of Hornet air to air employment. In 2001, now a Major, Mike left the regular Air Force to join the Massachusetts Air National Guard at Otis ANGB, Cape Cod, MA to fly Eagles again. After 9/11, he flew combat air patrols over New York and Boston as part of Operation Noble Eagle and sat air defense alert as part of NORAD's Northeast Air Defense Sector. When his unit, the 102nd Fighter Wing, was deactivated by the Base Realignment Commission, Mike hung up his fighter spurs after a 20 year flying career. He is proud and privileged to have logged over 3,300 hours in three different fighters and has the somewhat rare distinction of having never being out of the cockpit at any point in his time in service. In January, 2002 Mike retired as a Lt Col and, realizing he now had to grow up and find a real job, was hired by a major US airline. He's been flying the A320 for almost 18 years and been a Captain for the last 10. He has two daughters from a previous marriage, and he and his wife Lynne live within sight of Cape Cod Bay in Plymouth, MA. When not golfing with Lynne, he golfs even more and spends his time reading military history, is a wargame nut, and occasionally paints as an aviation artist. His work has hung at the US Naval Aviation Museum and can be found in various Air Force and Navy fighter squadrons as well. About the hosts:Mitch 'TACO' Parmentier has 16 years of experience with the F/A-18 Super Hornet as a Weapons System Operator (WSO). He has a longstanding love of aviation and history that he brings to the podcast.Beth Bailey was raised by F-14 Radar Intercept Officer Glen 'Wheels' Wheless and grew up around aviators and their unique brand of storytelling for most of her childhood. Beth worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner, and host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast.

Military Spouse Appreciation Day with Navy wives Dee and Gabby - The Fighter Pilots' Guide to Living

Welcome to the Fighter Pilots’ Guide to Living. Today, in honor of the military spouses who enable the success of their partners, we're bringing on two incredibly strong Navy wives, Dee Merritt and Gabrielle Parmentier, whose experiences show how much life has changed for Navy wives over the course of nearly half a century.Dee's relationship with Jerry, call sign 'Ribit,' spanned his entire career in the Navy, when he became an F-8 pilot during the Vietnam war and eventually transitioned to the F-14 Tomcat.Gabby's husband, Mitch, call sign 'TACO' and cohost of TFPGTL, also traces back to long before he started OCS and became a WSO in the F/A-18. Dee and Gabby talk about the expectations for a Navy wife, the traits it takes to keep things going on the home front, survive a cruise, and renegotiate a peace on reunion, the role of the O Club, deploying overseas, the difficulties of finding employment as an aviator's spouse, and the people who make the lifestyle worth the effort. About the hosts:Mitch 'TACO' Parmentier has 16 years of experience with the F/A-18 Super Hornet as a Weapons System Operator (WSO). He has a longstanding love of aviation and history that he brings to the podcast.Beth Bailey was raised by F-14 Radar Intercept Officer Glen 'Wheels' Wheless and grew up around aviators and their unique brand of storytelling for most of her childhood. Beth worked in support of Afghanistan operations as a civilian intelligence analyst for the Department of the Army between 2010 and 2013. She is a freelance contributor to Fox News Digital and the Washington Examiner, and host of The Afghanistan Project Podcast.