Part of my odd military career was 4 years as an Imagery Analyst in the Air Force. After that I was a forward observer in the Army. Then in the Army JAG Corps.
My first assignment as an intel guy was to Detachment 4, 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England. We had 2 SR's that were rotated in from the fleet, between us, Japan, and Beale AFB in California.
I was there when the program was shut down in fall of 1989. IIRC, when the Gulf War I kicked off a few months later there was moaning and groaning because there wasn't a similar asset to collect recon images, oops.
I would go to work when the plane landed and work all night. I would only work about 36 hours a week but the schedule was brutal. Usually a couple of all nighters and one 8 to 5 day shift.
Most of the time I would go outside and watch the plane land, even had a pass to take photos of it landing on the flight line. Occasionally I would go out with the Commander in the chase car to ride behind the plane as it landed. Imagine a Chrysler K-car doing 85 mph. Effen thing would groan and shake all over the place.
Here are a couple of things from my "I love me" wall, which my wife has designated as a wall in a bathroom.
