Alert 15 in General

Alert 15 / Vampires

I had my phone interview with the manager at Wally World, she had already offered me the job. Working the overnight is something that civilians really don’t like.

She asked, “Have you ever worked the overnight?”

The rolodex in my head shuffled around and spit out the answer. “A couple of years.” While the rolodex kept spinning.

I worked mids in Korea, working in support the central servicing point for the 80th Tactical Fighter Squadron. I was working support because I was young and stupid and was already bone tired of working the flightline and I volunteered to take over the technical library.

A couple of years later I got shuffled to mids while at Nellis AFB (Las Vegas). Most of the maintenance work happened after the flightline got quiet, and before it got noisy. We were freaking vampires. During the summer the sun would still be in the sky at 2200 (10PM) and everyone wore sunglasses.

Sometimes it wasn’t until you were getting off work the next morning you realized you were still wearing sunglasses.

You get very light sensitive. And sleep is almost impossible.

I went from being a front line troubleshooter to being a technical training instructor.
And.

I taught teenagers how to maintain the avionics on an F-16. Initially A/B models, then C/D models. In fact wrote the C/D difference course.

Alas, jets fly and squadrons didn’t like giving us access to “up” jets during normal hours.
So back to vampire life I went.

While reminiscing, I thought I had gotten to the end of my overnight work remembering.

And I remembered,

Alert 15.

While off the Dalmatian Coast in both 1992 and 1994 we occasionally set the alert.

Alert 15 meant the aircraft had to be airborne in 15 minutes. We’d preflight the jet – power on, and INS alignment done. Then sit in the ready room for the next six brain numbing hours. In full flight gear.

Strangely, with my crew we were almost always on the 2400-0600 rotation. Note to self. Never be on crew 5.

Amazingly, on an aircraft carrier you don’t really pay attention to the calendar, and other than the big holidays you don’t notice.

Until you sit in flight gear for the better part of six hours.
We shuffled to the paraloft and stripped off the SVU, Torso harness, leg restraints, and g-suit. Headed to wardroom for breakfast.

“On Holiday Routine.”

YHGTBSM. We were essentially at war and the ship had gone into holiday routine.

I am ready to get to work, even if it is Wally World. My iPods will last the shift, and I have 75 books stockpiled in Audible.

From the street if you look up you will see that my bedroom windows are foiled over.
Nothing screams “a vampire lives here” like foiled windows.

As long as you are mine…

he will bring a little box of moonlight
To light my way on such a very dark night
Dreams so real they grow wild on the vine
Until sundown, when she comes
She comes just like a daydream
And the sun surrenders to the evening
I’ve waited all day long to be with you girl
We’ll burn like falling stars tonight
And hide like vampires from the daylight
Until sundown
Dreams so real they grow wild on the vine
We’ll burn like falling stars tonight
And hide like vampires from the daylight
Our world comes alive at night
And like the stars, they shine so bright
As long as you are mine
As long as you are mine
As long as you are mine

Last updated May 22, 2022