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What attracted you to aviation?
I guess I always liked airplanes. My father used to take me flying in a Beechcraft Baron. I remember him letting me fly when I was around nine or 10. I thought it was the coolest thing ever. He also took me to the Offutt Air Force Base air show every year. I still remember the pilot of the F-16 allowing me to sit in the cockpit. However, I really never thought I’d grow up to be a fighter pilot.
Where were you trained?
I attended school at the United States Air Force Academy and I graduated in 2001. I originally went there to play collegiate baseball and it wasn’t until my senior year that I knew that I was going to go to flight school. After graduation, I began initial flight training in a Cessna 172 near Denver, Colorado. I remember this training quite well because we were grounded for several months following the September 11 attacks. I was then assigned a one-year pilot training assignment at Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi where everyone competes for fighters, bombers, and heavy aircraft. I finished F-16 training the following year and after almost two years of training, I finally made it to my first operational assignment.
Where have you served?
My first F-16 assignment was flying Block 50 F-16s for the 522nd “Fightin’ Fireball” Squadron at Cannon Air Force Base, New Mexico. I have had a great career in the USAF. I am grateful to say that I have been able to fly F-16s for my entire career. Following my F-16 tour in New Mexico, I flew Block 32 and 42 F-16s as a 64th Aggressor pilot at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. I left the Aggressors in December 2010 and relocated to Aviano Air Base, Italy where I currently fly Block 40 F-16s for the 510th Fighter Squadron. I am currently an F-16 Instructor Pilot and I am responsible for the overall security of the fighter squadrons.
What can be challenging?
Every one of my assignments has had a different mission, but I think my current assignment has been the most challenging and important. The 31st Fighter Wing is the only US fighter wing south of the Alps, which makes the wing critical to operations in NATO’s southern region. As a result of our unique mission, we’re the most inspected entity in the Department of Defense, which adds to the challenge.
What’s different than you expected?
Well, I never thought I’d be conducting combat operations from home station. During Operation Odyssey Dawn and Operation Unified Protector, we were flying eight-hour missions from Aviano to Libya. It was hard to imagine doing combat work in Libya and then returning home to see my family.
What are your favourite and least favourite parts of the job?
Of course, my favourite part of the job is getting to fly F-16s over the Adriatic Sea. Sometimes, when we're flying home, we fly right over Venice and I think to myself, “Wow! I can’t believe I get paid to do this.” Of course, there is always a trade-off and the 12-hour days have taken a toll on a lot of pilots, including myself. While the 12-hour days can be difficult at times, it’s that commitment to our work that allows us to be all the more effective in completing the various missions we support.
Source: FlightGlobal.com
