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Yuma even looks hot from six thousand feet.... 
Air Combat Maneuvering... With August came the air-to-air phase of the Nightmare Campaign Plan. In an effort to orchestrate the most rapid possible training while simultameously absorbing new radar aircraft, the Nightmares brought in well-known Air Combat Tactics Instructors like "Butter" and "Ripper." "Ripper" came all the way from Norfolk, VA. Congratulations to 'Steroid' and 'Cliffy' our newest Air Combat Tactic Instructors (actually, 'Cliffy' was recertified--in the same week). Below, Boeing test pilot Jackie Jackson, delivers the squadron's newest Radar Harrier from the remanufacturing assembly line in St. Louis.  Dino and Cow found themselves again committed to two weeks of service at the Wing's Tactical Air Command Center at Camp Elliot, CA (just east of Miramar). Dino served as Chief of the Deep Battle Watch, while Cow served as Senior Watch Officer. No good deed goes unpunished! 
This time, Chunks joined the fun as Dino and Cow augmented the higher headquarter's staff at Miramar (Third Marine Aircraft Wing HQ). Being especially hard, Chunks continued on to Camp Pendleton for his dose of "Ulchi Focus Lens." Below, the CO of the 'Blacksheep' ("Santa") demonstrates his pick-up technique at the austere soda mess. 
The Nightmares spent much of August accepting six new radar variant Harriers from Boeing to augment the first two that were transferred from the VMA-311 "Tomcats" in July. This will afford ample opportunity to properly welcome "Jones," (the pilot formerly known as 'Yo') the newest Nightmare pilot and a superb addition to the team. Speaking of new pilots, the Nightmares welcomed "Zak" back to the fleet at the end of August. Zak and Cow were squadronmates in VMA-211 when Zak first became a Harrier pilot. 
 
The Nightmares were surprised in late August to learn that two of their pilots were to be transferred out. Dino will be assuming new duties as Executive Officer of Marine Wing Support Squadron 371, and Vino will become Operations Officer of Cow's old squadron, the VMA-211 Wake Island Avengers. It is always difficult to lose officers serving in key billets, but these two Nightmares will bloom wherever they are planted. Vino and Dino were important parts of the Nightmare team persona and we sorely hate to see them go. 
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