Page 3 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt April 7, 2017

Thunderbolt NEWS http://www.luke.af.mil
tech. Sgt. louis Vega Jr.
Maj. Michael Hobson, 944th Operations Group Detachment 2, takes off March 7 in an F-35A Lightning II during the 100th sortie milestone at Luke Air Force Base
FMS pilots, 944th FW reach 100th F-35 sortie milestone
April 2017 3 Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt
IN BRIEF
AFAF concert
The 56th Fighter Wing Air Force Assistance Fund commit- tee is kicking off this year’s campaign with a free U.S. Army Military Intelligence Corps Band concert 4 to 6 p.m. April 10 at Fowler Park. The campaign goes until May 19. For more information, call Capt. Pedro Rivera at 623-856-4238. For infor- mation on the campaign, contact the squadron representative.
Spring fest, car show, swap meet
A spring fest, car show and swap meet are 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 8 in Fowler Park. The Luke community is welcome to at- tend. Egg hunts, food, music, children’s crafts, face painting, train rides, a rock climbing wall, golf and recreation demos and photos taken with the Eggstravaganza Bunny. For more information or to register for the swap meet or car show, call 623-856-3245.
MWD Chrach statue unveiling
The unveiling of the 56th Security Forces Squadron military working dog Chrach statue is 1 p.m. April 7 at Fowler Park at Luke Air Force Base. Chrach was selected as the K-9 to repre- sent the Arizona military working dogs at the Sedona Military Park, Sedona. A duplicate statue was donated to LukeAFB. Chrach has received a bronze star and combat action medal and was awarded the 2015 Hero Dog award.
MWD retirements
A retirement ceremony for MWDs Chrach and Maxo is 4 p.m. April 7 at the base theater. The Luke community is welcome to attend both ceremonies. For more information, call Tech. Sgt. Jessica Keller at 623-896-6777.
Lightning Gate construction
There will be lane closures at Lightning Gate due to construc- tion now through May 4. Impact should be minimal through April 10 (closing one lane but still access) but April 11 through May 4, all lanes, either outbound or inbound, will be closed. For more information, call the 56th Mission Support Group.
Luke Experience
• “Noises Off”
The Luke Experience will present “Noises Off ” at 6 p.m. April 7 and 8 at the base theater.
• For those interested in auditioning for “Dr. Horrible’s Sing- a-long Blog and Broken Bride Rock Opera,” auditions are
6 p.m. April 25 and 27 at the base theater.
For more information, call Lacey Quattlebaum at 623-856-9949.
Steps for VETS
The U. S. VETS Initiative-Phoenix is featuring a 10-k, 5k, or one-mile run and walk event May 13 at Rose Mofford Sports Complex located at 9833 N. 25th Ave., Phoenix, 85021. There is also a virtual run for those who can’t run but want to partici- pate. Proceeds from this event will fund programs and services offered through U.S. VETS – Phoenix. To register or for more information, go to www.stepsforvetsaz.com.
Blitz Lounge hours change
The Blitz Lounge will be closed Thursdays and Sunday but will continue to be open Fridays and Saturdays. For more information, call 623-856-7152.
Tax run
The 56th Force Support Squadron Bryant Fitness Center is featuring a 5k fun run at 7 a.m. April 14 at the auxiliary parking lot across from the 944th Fighter Wing headquarter Bldg. 999. For more information, call 623-856-6241.
Half marathon, warrior challenge
The 56th FSS Bryant Fitness Center is featuring a half marathon 5 to 11 a.m. May 6 and warrior challenge 5 to 11 a.m. May 13. For more information, call 623-856-6241.
Join a hockey team
Those interested in joining a hockey team can call Maj. John Beshai at 312-208-8087 or email beshai.john@gmail.com. To join, members must be active duty, Reserve, Guard or prior service from all branches.
Powerlifting competition
The 56th FSS Bryant Fitness Center is featuring a pow-
by Staff Sgt. NESTOR CRUZ
944th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Student and instructor pilots working under the Foreign Military Sales program reached a historic milestone March 10 when they flew their 100th sortie in an F-35 Lightning II at the 944th Fighter Wing.
The milestone is significant for the team making the mission happen on a daily basis.
“It was truly a reflection of the teamwork between operations and maintainers, and also the collaboration between the 944th Operations Group Detachment 2, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and Lockheed Martin,” said Maj. Michael Hobson, 944th OG Det. 2 assistant director of operations, who flew the history-making sortie with one of four Japanese F-35A jets.
Luke acquired the Japanese jets for the FMS pro- gram, thus enabling JASDF pilots to train here. The first of three classes started in December and is already on the fast track to reaching all training goals ahead of schedule and graduating its first two students in May. The students include a JASDF commander and director of operations.
“They’ve got thousands of flying hours, and they’re extremely experienced pilots with the F-2 and F-4, so they have flown 4th generation fighters before,” said Lt. Col. Eric Puels, 944th OG Det. 2 director of operations. “So this is really a transition course which is similar to what we do on the U.S. side but tailored to their needs and what they do in their country as far as training and execution.”
The course is a mix of classroom academics, simula- tors and flights. Upon completion of the course, the students will have the tools they need to create their own F-35 training program back home.
“(Our students) are going through the transition program now, teaching them how to fly the aircraft and execute operationally as wingmen, then they’ll undergo instructor pilot upgrade added to what they know so they can go home and instruct their teammates and build their own program from scratch,” Puels said.
The 100th sortie is just one of many successes under the team’s belt. Puels credits the success to the synergy and efficiency of the team.
“This is probably just one of a dozen firsts we’ve experienced in the past two months alone,” Puels said. “Operationally, it means a great deal to be able to reach this milestone as quickly as we have. It shows that the innovative scheduling process and relationship that we have with our maintenance folks and with the opera- tions folks is working, and we’re excited about that. We’ve taken innovative steps to do things outside of the box.”
The pride in reaching this historic sortie is also shared by Team Luke’s partners from JASDF.
“We have accomplished our 100th sortie with only three months of flight operations here at Luke AFB, and I would like to celebrate this milestone with each and everyone here,” said JASDF Maj. Toru Tsuchiya, Japanese F-35A foreign liaison officer. “I’m honored to work with the elite U.S. Air Force pilots and Lockheed Martin employees. I appreciate the outstanding support they have given us during this endeavor.”
THUNDERBOLT ALMANAC
Fiscal 2017 graduates
21st FS (calendar year).................................. 0 61st FS .......................................................... 29 62nd FS......................................................... 24 63rd FS ........................................................... 0 69th FS ........................................................... 0 309th FS ....................................................... 25 310th FS ....................................................... 15
Hours flown Sorties flown
F-35 4,806.1 3,148 F-16 8,096.3 6,010
311th FS ......................................................... 3 314th FS ...................................................... 11 425th FS (calendar year) ............................. 18 56th TRS...................................................... 27 607th ACS.................................................. 119 372nd TRS, Det. 12 ................................... 304 944th OG, Det. 2 ............................................ 7
(As of April 3, 2017)
T-Bolts
Deployed around the world.
220 Luke Airmen are deployed to 15 locations
See BRiEFS, Page 29