I LOVE going to Tailhook

I know most of you don't know what the Tailhook convention is.  Here, again, at the Being Happy blog is another educational opportunity.  The Tailhook convention, in a nutshell, is a annual gathering of members of the Tailhook Association.  These members are naval aviators committed to the interests of sea based naval aviation.  They provide scholarships and honor their members.  The name "tailhook" references the apparatus of the carrier based aircraft that catches the arresting wire to facilitate a carrier landing of the aircraft.  My husband is a tailhooker.

I've been attending Tailhook for the last six years.  I LOVE it.  I have so much fun at Tailhook.  I'm fortunate to be able to work at Tailhook with the artist Hank Caruso.  He is VERY popular with the aviators.  He "just gets" the different navy and marine aircraft and the men and women that fly them.  He has also been honored by being named Honorary Naval Aviator #27.  Quite an honor.

Ok, that is one reason I love Tailhook.  Another reason is that it is held in Reno, NV.  The convention used to be held in Las Vegas, NV, but that won't be happening again.  'nuff said.  I think Reno is a wonderful little city.

I took this picture.  :)

Here are a few of the other reasons I like Tailhook.

LTjg Erik Sink, USN         1/LT Jeffery Monroe, USMC
LTjg Greg Mayers, USN         1/LT Reid Savid, USMC

Aren't they the cutest men EVER.  These men had their winging ceremony at Tailhook.  It was my first winging.  It was SO INSPIRING.  I met my husband after he got his wings.

Here is one of the guys later that evening.  We were at the "Bug" Roach cocktail party.

Our country's best, bravest and brightest

All aviators wear flightsuits to the "Bug" Roach cocktail party.  I LOVE flightsuits.   I think ANYONE in a flightsuit looks good.  I know I like it much better than the dress whites.  (Just my opinion)

  Hiding the jean clad bottom.  Hot in a flightsuit.

Yep, give me a flightsuit any day.  Leave the khakis at home.

You're starting to see it my way, aren't you.

 
You may have heard of the Tailhook convention.  It made a few headlines back in 1991.  Anyway, thanks to political correctness the convention is now "family friendly."  Yes, we have a cocktail or two, but everything is out in the open now.  I hope the Tailhook doesn't become too politically correct.  I like the "SWAGGER" a naval aviator has.  I agree with what former Navy Secretary John Lehman said in his Washington Times article yesterday.  And, yeah, women can have swagger.  I believe in the big ego that a naval aviator has been accused of having.  I think confidence in one's abilities is key to landing on a carrier.  I believe in work hard / play hard.  When you decide to put your life and millions of dollars of aircraft in these hands, I believe you should allow a bit of "down time." 

Thanks for sharing my happy time in the biggest little city in the world every second weekend in September.  I can't wait until next year.  :)