Page 7 - Luke AFB Thunderbolt Oct. 2 2015

Thunderbolt 56TH OPERATIONS GROUP Oct. 2, 2015 7
http://www.luke.af.mil Facebook.com/LukeThunderbolt

309th Fighter Squadron Wild Ducks 425th Fighter 310th Fighter Squadron Top Hats
Squadron Black
Mission7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VÀQHVW Responsibili- Mission: Top Hats train Facts: In 1988
)ÀJKWHUSLORWVGHYHORSWRGD\·V ties: To teach Widows the world’s greatest F-16 the Top Hats
warriors to build tomorrow’s lethal employ- pilots, instructor pilots ZHUH WKH ÀUVW
wingmen. ment of the F-16, Mission: and forward air controllers squadron to
Demographics: 10 assigned leadership, tactics and To conduct while deploying combat- receive the
instructor pilots, three enlisted heritage. high-end ready Airmen. LANTIRN
situational awareness and re- training for Demographics: There are night vision
source management profession- Fun facts: The squadron bears Republic of 54 assigned and attached system; IPs developed and
als, one civilian, 17 attached 25 campaign streamers, having Singapore instructor pilots who train wrote the replacement
instructor pilots, and 12 Air fought in North Africa, Italy, air force an average of 70 students training unit syllabus for
Force Reserve Command in- France, Germany and Vietnam. personnel while annually. Block 40/42 and LANTIRN;
structor pilots. The squadron Its members include 14 aces, to- benchmarking against the developed the first LAN-
also includes two contract em- taling 161 aerial victories. They best in the world. Leadership TIRN tactics; until the mid-
ployees and four attached en- are also the recipient of the U.S. Demographics: There are Commander: Lt. Col. Mat- 90s, the FS was dedicated
listed aircrew flight equipment $LU)RUFH·VÀUVW2XWVWDQGLQJ8QLW 159 members including 30 thew Warner almost exclusively to the
professionals. Award. The Duck patch was the FLYLOLDQVDQGÀYH86$LU Director of operations: LANTIRN training mission.
Leadership ÀUVW86PLOLWDU\SDWFKGHVLJQHG Force active-duty Airmen. Lt. Col. Robert Mason “Top Hats Rule … Dressed
Commander: Lt. Col. William by Walt Disney and symbolizes Leadership Superintendent: Tech. Sgt. WR.LOOµ
McKibban WKHÀJKWHUPLVVLRQFHOHVWLDOQDYL- Commander: Lt. Col. John Tiffani Taylor
Director of operations: Lt. Col. gation pioneered by the 309th, its Forino
Jay Hughes round-the-clock mission readi- Director of operations:
ness, and its striking power. Lt. Col. Chad Jennings
6HQLRUUDQNLQJRIÀFHU 607th Air Control Squadron
Lt. Col. Kenneth Lim
61st Fighter Squadron Top Dogs Widow Bites: Widow main- Mission: Train the world’s combat-cod-
tenance was 2014 Luke Air greatest battle manage- ed control
Mission7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VÀQHVW ates common Force Base load crew competi- ment professionals. and report-
F-35 pilots. tactics, train- tion champions and continues Demographics: There are ing center
Demographics: Thirteen as- ing profiles to lead the 56th Fighter Wing 150 personnel including 10 operators. It
VLJQHG LQVWUXFWRU SLORWV ÀYH HQ- and syllabi to with an average maintenance RIÀFHUV HQOLVWHG $LU- conducts both the Air Force
OLVWHG RQH ÁLJKW VXUJHRQ WKUHH be used by all effectiveness rate of more than men, 10 civilians and 14 Specialty Code awarding
Reserve instructor pilots and four- partner nations while 98 percent; FS participated contract employees that undergraduate weapons
teen attached instructor pilots. meeting the needs of the Combat in Forging Sabre, Combat train as many as 75 stu- director course and also
Leadership: Air Force; advances the F-35 pro- Archer, Maple Flag, Red Flag- dents at any given time and LQLWLDO TXDOLÀFDWLRQ WUDLQ-
Commander: Lt. Col. Michael gram; supports efforts to achieve Nellis and Red Flag-Alaska graduate an average of 300 LQJIRUDLUZHDSRQVRIÀFHUV
Gette F-35 initial operating capability. exercises from summer of 2013 students annually. enlisted weapons direc-
Director of operations: Lt. Col. Fun facts: Before each sortie, to summer of 2015. Despite tors, surveillance techni-
Aaron Jelinek Top Dog pilots and maintainers being more than 9,000 miles Leadership cians, electronic protection
Responsibilities: Provides render the “Top Dog salute,” from home, the members still Commander: Lt. Col. Jerry technicians, and interface
world class instruction to F-35 VLJQLÀHG E\ ZLSLQJ WKH EORRG RI celebrate cultural traditions Canny control technicians pro-
student pilots; integrates Aus- the fresh kill with the back of the such as Chinese New Year, Director of operations: Lt. viding highly trained and
tralian F-35s and F-35 instructor hand across the jowl, then raising Deepavali and most recently Col. Ray Wendall capable operators to 16
pilots into daily operations; estab- D´1XPEHUµWRVLJQLI\WKHÀUVW Singapore National Day 50th Superintendent: Senior combat-coded active-duty
lishes the training system founda- :RUOG :DU ,, ÀJKWHU VTXDGURQ Anniversary with traditional Master Sgt. James Mar- and Air National Guard air
tion for the U.S. Air Force and with 100 kills and the most com- food, decorations and time- tinez control squadrons around
seven F-35 partner nations; cre- bat aces. honored ceremonies. Facts: The 607th ACS the world.
is the U.S. Air Force’s ´6QDNHV«$OZD\V5HDG\µ
formal training unit for

56th Operations 2ND ANNUAL Saturday, November 14, 2015

Group, Detachment 1, + +Reid Park Bandshell
11 AM - 7:30 PM
Tucson Air
WITH THE TUCSON POPS ORCHESTRA WITH SPECIAL GUESTS THE AMERICAN BOMBSHELLS
National Guard AND OTHER MUSICAL GUESTS .FIREWORKS AT 7:30 PM

Mission: Provide exceptional F-16 Hats Off to Heroes is a family friendly FREE event and part of the
instruction to U.S., FMS and Mobile Training Team
students at Tucson ANG and abroad Tucson’s Veterans Day Weekend Celebration.
Demographics: Five assigned instructor pilots
. 5K Fun Run – 9 TO 11 AM – NW Corner of Reid Park
Leadership . Veteran Resource Fair – 11 am to 3 pm – Bandshell
Commander: Lt. Col. Erik Anton . Military displays in various locations – Reid Park
Responsibilities: The 56th OG, Det. 1, stationed at . Food Court – 11 am to 7:30 pm – Bandshell
Tucson International Airport supports the 162nd Fighter . Live Music – 11 am to 7:30 pm – Bandshell
Wing’s F-16 formal training unit. The Arizona Air Na- . Tucson Pops Orchestra with special guests The American
WLRQDO*XDUGZLQJ·VPLVVLRQLVWRSURYLGH)TXDOLÀHG
pilots to the active-duty U.S. Air Force, Air National Bombshells – 5 to 7:30 pm – Bandshell
Guard, and 25 partner nations. Det. 1 instructors teach . Fireworks – 7:30 pm – Bandshell
all aspects of the F-16 basic course, as well as augment
PRELOHWUDLQLQJWHDPVVHQWDEURDGIRU´LQFRXQWU\µÁLJKW 5K CAMINO CAMPESTRE
instruction with partner nations. Start
Fun facts: Det. 1 was formed in 1996 when international
training was moved from the 311th FS at Luke to the Reid Park
162nd Wing at Tucson. Bandshell
RANDOLPH WAY
COUNTRY CLUB ROAD
Reid Park
Zoo

22ND STREET