encore All Caught Up

A young Army pilot tries to impress a group of reporters during a fi eld training exercise, but he quickly realizes his 15 minutes of fame aren’t what he hoped they would be.

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It was a beautiful, clear summer day in 1979, as my wingman and I flew our AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters at treetop level through the rugged terrain of Fort Hunter Liggett, Calif. I was a captain, and we were supporting the 7th Infantry Divi- sion’s annual field training exercise. I received a call from my commander

requesting one aircraft divert from the planned fl ight and relocate near the res- ervation boundary. Once there, the air- craft was to climb to altitude and conduct simulated diving fi re on a group of TV journalists. I quickly “rogered” the call and instructed my wingman to proceed with our original mission while I dealt with the media. The Army’s G-model Cobra has a

rounded canopy like a fi ghter aircraft, with the pilots sitting tandem. The fuse- lage is long and narrow, about 40 inches at its widest point, with short stubby wings to support weapons. After a couple of near-vertical dives at the media cluster, my commander di- rected us to land. Upon landing, I asked my copilot to shut down the aircraft while I took on the reporters. I noticed an attractive female reporter leading the pack and, me being a bachelor, she caught my eye. I removed my helmet and adjusted my sunglasses. I even ran my fi ngers through my hair as I looked into a small mirror affi xed to the canopy that was mounted for the purpose of viewing the backseat. This would be my 15 minutes

84 MILITARY OFFICER JULY 2015

of fame; all the big networks — ABC, CBS, and NBC — were present. I opened the canopy, which swings out

and up, held in placed by a fl imsy telescopic support. The cameras were rolling, and the young reporter was waiting. I reached for the hand strap to secure my exit while extending my leg from the cockpit. As I descended, my survival vest caught on the canopy handle, causing my foot to miss the step on the side of fuselage. My sunglasses slipped and hung from one ear as I fl oundered, strain- ing the canopy strut with my weight. My foot frantically beat the side of the aircraft in search of the step. I must have resembled someone who was zapped by a stun gun. Finally, I found the foot-

hold and was able to lift myself up, unhook the vest, and jump to the ground. I adjusted my sunglasses, desperately try- ing to regain my composure when the journalist asked, “Captain, is this how you al- ways get out of these things?” It all went downhill from there, and my 15 minutes of fame turned out to be a very public lesson in humility.

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— Lawrence E. Casper is a retired Army colo- nel. He resides in Oro Valley, Ariz. For submis- sion information, see page 6.

Tell Your Story Submit your humorous true stories (between 400 and 450 words) of ser- vice-related experiences by email to encore@moaa .org or by mail to Encore Editor, 201 N. Washington St., Alexandria, VA 22314. All submissions will be considered for publication.

ILLUSTRATION: KELLY LEIGH MILLER