in 2009 two f/a-18 pilots flew over georgia tech before a football game. tech is in the center of midtown atlanta, a city with millions of people. navy regulations specify a 1,000 ft minimum, they flew over at maybe 200 ft. nice and slow, full flaps, gear down, max (non-afterburning) thrust. probably the biggest, loudest thing anyone present had ever heard. when they landed, they self-reported their violation of protocol. both were immediately grounded, stripped of flight privileges, and transferred to other parts of the navy. this was protested based on their extensive, spotless service histories. naturally the internet debated this decision: some people saw it as a waste, some as tough luck, some as setting a clear example to keep others in line. it was none of those things: it was a promotion. after a year or two, one of them became a career test pilot, the other what i would describe as a coordinator of joint military operations for cia front organizations. the moral of this story is that when someone does something that doesn't seem to be in their own self interest, you probably haven't the faintest clue what's really going on