“Commander’s Moon”

Steeljawscribe — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 01:08:55 +0000

Easy folks — completely SFW here

So Scribe — what exactly do they mean by a “Commander’s Moon” ?

Well, strictly defined, a “commander’s moon” is:

“A night lighting condition with clear skies and a large (late phase) moon, to provide optimum lighting condition for night flights, and especially night traps. Favored by, and planned for by, O-4s and above to get their night requirements ‘X.’”

Yet, as they say, a picture (or two) is worth a thousand words:

No fancy exposure tricks or anything like that — you can clearly see your shadow tonight with a full moon that by all accounts, might even coax a 2- or 3-star back into the cockpit. Maybe. That far horizon is 30+ miles away and the lights of DC are well off the frame to the left – you are looking off to the vast, semi-habitable spaces of Prince William Forest and Quantico (and across one of the several Civil War era battlefields in the area, this one just happens to be a few steps from our front porch):

Somewhere, someone may actually be enjoying night CQ (or not) — me?

Had enough practice bleeding for one lifetime, but I’m still game for a day BAGEX…

2012 USNI Board of Directors and Editorial Board

Steeljawscribe — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 02:01:39 +0000

Have you submitted your ballot yet? Vote online at www.associationvoting.com/usni or make sure your paper ballot is postmarked by 12 March. Why vote? Some reasons (and recommendations) may be found here — and yes, I am a candidate for the Board of Directors. Come on folks, let’s get out the vote -

w/r, SJS

Steeljaw Scribe

“Commander’s Moon”

2012 USNI Board of Directors and Editorial Board