180 Gear Down Option is a personal blog, as as such, you should be forewarned that I am unabashedly male.  My posts may not always be completely safe for work, and I am sometimes crude and rough around the edges. 

I started out as an enlisted sailor on a Spruance Class Destroyer in 1992. I spent five years there and then I then switched to the dark side and got a commission out of the original Seaman to Admiral program in 1996. I earned my wings in 1998 after primary at Whiting Field, and advanced at Vance AFB.

I retired (honorably) after 22 years. During that tenure I spent time off the coast of Haiti (Operation Support Democracy), in the Adriatic for the Bosnia thing (Operation Sharp Guard), off the horn of Africa and in the North Arabian Gulf. I also did a tour of eleven months on the ground in Afghanistan helping lead a mixed team of services and agencies. 

Some of the terms and phrases used here may seem like inside baseball (like the name of the website) and that is a hat tip to my Navy and Marine Aviator brethren. That is not meant to exclude anyone, just meant to make some feel more at home. I am not an expert on aviation, or anything else, but I know a few things about some things.

I will express my opinions, and welcome you to do the same, in a respectful manner. 

This site is NOT for porn, inciting violence, or threatening people. I will ban those that I think need it.