Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Hunting for the Oldest Ice

https://t.co/nsNmW0Kv43

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Just a reminder that all USAP science events for 2019-20 are described in the Science Planning Summary. It is located online for the public to view.
https://t.co/KnyTAJoAoB

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Great news! The flags of the schools are back from Antarctica!

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Tell your teacher friends to sign up for the PolarTREC outreach events.

https://t.co/tFFGDAVBak

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

23 January marks the 60th anniversary of the first Hercules C-130 in Antarctica.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Captain James Cook crossed the Antarctic Circle in January 1773, but never actually saw the mainland of Antarctica.

Bellingshausen was the first to actually see the Antarctic continent during his circumnavigation of the continent in 1819-1821.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Captain Bransfield sighted Antarctic land on 30 January 1820. American Nathaniel Palmer sighted the Antarctic continent on 17 November 1820. Albert Paddock Crary, was a glaciologist. He was the first person to have stepped foot on both the North Pole (1952) and South Pole (1961).

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Old school people mover in Antarctica. Did you notice the stencil on the back? "US Navy" :-) this guy is a throwback; this stopped being a Navy mission in the 1990s.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Just all kinds of cool vehicles in Antarctica. Did you notice the dirt bike on top?

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Here is my replacement- Ch (Maj) Joseph Branch. Sure was nice to see him :-) He is going to do a great job!

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Landed in NZ yesterday

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

@corbydickerson 104.5 FM “Ice Radio” is not online. Staffing is super streamlined. All the DJs are volunteers.

McMurdo Station, Antarctica is on the same time zone as New Zealand. This was intentionally chosen because we fly everything in and out of Christchurch, NZ.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

I have been able to be a DJ here at McMurdo Station. My show is on Sunday mornings from 9-10 and I play religious/religious-themed music. It is 104.5FM "Ice Radio." The rumor is that in our vinyl archive room, we have copies of Adrian Kronauer (sp?)-think "Good Morning Vietnam."

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

The target float altitude for BARREL will be roughly 110,000-feet. BARREL launched a mission last season with a total float time of 73 days.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

BARREL Balloon Hand-Launch Attempt is taking place this morning at 6AM local time.

A-145 BARREL’S Mission is to study electron losses through the Earth’s radiation belts. The BARREL research payload will be sent aloft on a smaller-sized hand-launch balloon called TRAVALB.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

He is retired now, lives in Iowa, enjoys his grandchildren and collecting John Deere tractors. 15 months on the ice; wow!

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Providing the Chaplains here was a Navy mission for 40 years. One of the Chaplains mentioned here is Leroy Vogel; he was here from July, 1965 - October, 1966. Chaplain Vogel was Professor Vogel when I went to the Seminary in 1992; he was a beloved mentor by the students.

[Lt. Col. James Buckman - South Pole @LtColBuckman]

Thank you Carol Marwede for your care package before I left :-) I just had my last packet of instant Starbucks. It was deeee-licious!