What is your VROC?

The apache Longbow is an attack helicopter with a vertical rate of climb (VROC) hampered only by such details as fuel and missiles. As Christians, we should be more concerned with our VROD (Vertical Rate of Descent). the more we humble ourselves, the more we climb into the presence of God.

It's got a little weight problem.

It costs millions of dollars.

And it can't fly.

The Pentagon is having trouble with its AH-64D Apache Longbow, a new attack helicopter from Boeing. Not to worry; the military is spending $4.9 billion to buy 758 of them anyway.

They're impressive. No doubt about it. Shortly after NATO launched air strikes against Slobodan Milosevic in the Kosovo conflict, President Clinton agreed to send 24 of these death machines to help out. They're "fearsome tank killers at night, but their mission and their sensitive, high-tech gear also make them vulnerable to ground fire. Skimming low over the trees at little more than 150 m.p.h. with lights out, their pilots wearing night-vision goggles, the choppers have radar that can spot armored columns three miles away, and they can unleash 16 Hellfire missiles, plus scores of 70-mm rockets." While these choppers allow the pilots to get up close and personal, they also allow the enemy to get "dangerously personal as...