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 A Four-Way Split! 
In March, the Nightmares organized for quadruple-site operations. It is very difficult to do, but Nightmare aircraft and personnel were simultaneously located at home plate, WTI, USS Boat and CAX-5 at 29 Palms, CA. Screech led a detachment in support of the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit while Critter and Jolly took two jets and Nightmare Maintenance personnel to the Weapons & Tactics Instructor Course. On 5 March, the entire squadron conducted an "operational pause" to review the challenges ahead and to orchestrate supervision and procedures to ensure operational success and safety. It is no accident (pardon the pun) that the Nightmares enjoy the best safety record in the Harrier Community--they guard it jealously! 
Get out there and log some flight time Nightmares! 
Ah, the designated smoking area outside the CO's office window 
Hey! Get back to work! 
For about a month, the Nightmares worked to music as the USMC band and Silent Drill Team executed their annual escape from Washington DC's winter 
The following images are from the 4 March Nightmare deep air strike executed with USAF B-1 bombers and our neighbors, the VMA-214 "Blacksheep" 
Back home with a vertical landing at "Delta Taxiway" 
Thanks for the landing photography Zak! 
Idle! 
The mission isn't over until you finish the paperwork.... Taking Care of Business     Smile? I'm workin' here!  Pilots learn much about maintenance from our maintenance controllers  It takes a lot of skill to coordinate all maintenance actions properly  Logs and records in Maintenance Control  A new Corporal with his family  It's hard to keep a straight face when the baby shouts: "Da-da!"  This MERITORIOUSLY promoted Corporal is a total pro  New Corporals! 
And a magnificent new Sergeant! 
Night crew prepares aircraft for the morning launch 
A clean jet is a faster jet 
8 March Kangaroo Court Antics 
Stern frightens his fellow Nightmares with poetry: First on the schedule and up with the sun, Cliffy and Stern brief a "two versus one" "We’re gonna search, then sample and shoot Join up and shut up, you’ll be OK boot!" So I searched high, and Cliffy searched low, Then we saw the F-5 coming in at full blow At the merge it was clear I was free of the two, The bandit turned low, Cliffy pulled for the blue I heard "Knock it off!" though the fight had just started, A jet tumbled and coupled--yikes, Cliffy departed! As I flew to my block I was filled with dismay, The bandit called Cliffy: "Dude, you OK?!" As Cliffy recovered, in control of his steed, He said not to worry, "It departed slow speed" The ensuing debrief spared my lead humble soup, Had the tables been turned, I’d be working at Group! (Have fun at Group Stern!) 
"I'd like you to make welcome our new staff officer...Stern!" 
The people your mother wouldn't let you play with 
Chunks spares no expense on his wardrobe 
The CO has no power at a Kangaroo Court 
Drink the grog XO! 
Captains' Choir  10 March sees our Detachment
leave for the boat
In San Diego, immediately prior to weighing anchor 
This image was sent by our Det Maintenance Controller Gunny "P" 
Rolling off the front is a full power event.... Det Ordnance Chief, Gunny 'D' snapped these two images aboard ship: 
Time to park--thanks for the photography Gunny 'D'! 
Land Ho! 
Lieutenant General Hagee, CG, I MEF climbs up to observe aircraft maintenance 
On 12 March, LtGen Hailston, Commanding General of Marine Forces Pacific, drops by to visit the Nightmares 
Sgt Major Coffee of the First Marine Expeditionary Force 
Cow commissioned a mural for the west stairwell as a farewell gift to the squadron; the Sergeants Major inspect it as it nears completion 
The art work is by the same lady who painted the VMA-211 stairwells when the Cow was the Avenger's XO 
When Nightmare pilots aren't flying, they can often be found at the Operations Duty Officer Desk talking about flying 
In the minutes before the weekly (Monday) All Officers Meeting.... 
Military justice is swift, but invariably just 
Darth Bovine... 
A quiet squadron is a happy squadron! 
SSGT "B" snapped these shots of a bee swarm guarding the turnstile in front of our hangar 
The following patch images came to us from a former Nightmare XO, Colonel Benjamin L. "Gentle" Williams, USMC retired. Thanks for visiting Gentle!  
Welcome to "Yap" and "Hero," the Nightmares' newest pilots! 
The Sergeant Major and I would like to extend our heartfelt congratulations to three of our Gunnery Sergeants selected to Master Sergeant! Well-deserved Gunny Van, Gunny "P" and Gunny "B"! 
The greatest Sergeant Major in the Marine Corps--ours! Welcome to CAX-5!!! We will barely have time to get necessary simulator sorties out of the way for "Yap" and "Hero" before they have their first flights in the squadron....    
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