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7UDLQWKHZRUOG·VJUHDWHVW)DQG)ÀJKWHUSLORWV May 29, 2015
Vol. 15, No. 20
INSIDE 56th FW has new mission
by Senior Airman
STORIES GRACE LEE
Military mom, 3
ALS grads, 4 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs Senior Airman Devante Williams
Snakes on a plane, 5
CAF, 7 Luke Air Force Base’s 56th Brig. Gen. Scott Pleus, left, 56th Fighter Wing commander, and Charles Lilly, right, lithograph
Fraud alert, 10 Fighter Wing conducted a artist, present the new 56th Fighter Wing lithograph May 21 during the 56th FW change of mis-
FEATURE change-of-mission ceremony sion ceremony at Luke Air Force Base. The change is historical for Luke as the wing’s mission
May 21, formally including the statement last changed 25 years ago.
Airman Pedro Mota F-35 Lightning II as part of the
wing’s new mission statement. of the F-35 Lightning II pro- The 56th FW is one of the toward the future for Airmen
POLICE WEEK gram with Lockheed Martin, most highly decorated avia- at Luke. Additionally, the
The ceremony included the to the stage. tion units in history and has wing successfully completed
See Page 12 military tradition of unveiling DOHJDF\WUDFLQJEDFNWR DÀUVWHYHUODUJHVFDOHWUDLQ-
56th FW commander, Brig. “I want you to know that Since then, the 56th has moved ing deployment of 10 F-35s to
INDEX Gen. Scott Pleus’ name on the Lockheed Martin and our en- DQXPEHURIWLPHVDQGKDVXQ- Nellis AFB, Nevada, show-
ÁDJVKLS ) VLJQLI\LQJ WKH tire team are proud to stand dergone a few name changes FDVLQJ WKH DLUFUDIW·V DELOLWLHV
Action line ............................. 2 mission change. EHVLGH \RX LQ HYHU\ VWHS RI EHIRUH DUULYLQJ DW /XNH $LU Recently, a Royal Australian
Briefs..................................... 3 your journey,” Martin said. )RUFH %DVH $SULO Á\- $LU)RUFHSLORWÁHZWKHEDVH·V
Spotlight ................................ 4 7KHUHDIWHU 3OHXV EHJDQ KLV “We have every expectation ing F-16s and F-15E Strike ÀUVW SDUWQHU ) VRUWLH 0D\
Diversions ........................... 20 remarks to the hangar-full of that Team Luke will set the Eagles. A year later the F-15E 14 at Luke.
Sports.................................. 23 Airmen and community lead- standard for F-35 training, as training mission moved to Sey-
HUV E\ ORRNLQJ EDFN DW /XNH·V you have done with the F-16, mour Johnson Air Force Base, Pleus wrapped up his com-
QUOTE OF THE WEEK history. the most successful fourth North Carolina. Since then, the PHQWV E\ WDONLQJ DERXW WKH
generation pilots the world has ZLQJ·VFRUHPLVVLRQKDVEHHQWR UHODWLRQVKLSEHWZHHQWKHEDVH
“One mark of strong leadership at any ´,I \RX JR EDFN WR )HEUXDU\ ever known.” train the world’s greatest F-16 and the local community.
level is how well you develop potential of 1941 the city of Phoenix au- pilots. It wasn’t until March 10,
replacements. Likewise, how well does thorized the War Department, 0DUWLQ FORVHG E\ WKDQNLQJ 2014, when the wing received “The state of Arizona and
\RXU VTXDGURQ VKRS RU RIÀFH IXQFWLRQ DVLWZDVFDOOHGEDFNWKHQWKH the surrounding community, its first F-35A aircraft that particularly the West Valley
without your hand constantly controlling DELOLW\WREXLOGDWUDLQLQJEDVH Air Force partners and allies, FKDQJHVEHJDQWRDSSHDU has always welcomed us with
the rudder? The typical type-A military out in the West side of Phoe- for their support and service. open arms and we deeply ap-
SHUVRQDOLW\KDVGLIÀFXOW\OHWWLQJJRRIWKH nix,” Pleus said. “The state of Some of the recent changes preciate all the efforts you had
hands-on details at work. “If you want $UL]RQDVDZWKHDELOLW\WREULQJ The change in the mission include the opening of the WR EULQJ WKH ) WR /XNHµ
something done right, do it yourself,” is the military into the Arizona statement is historical for Luke F-35 Academic Training Cen- 3OHXV VDLG ´:H ZRXOG QRW EH
VLPSO\ÁDZHGORJLFXQOHVV\RXZDQWWREH community, just like they do EHFDXVH WKH EDVH KDV EHHQ DQ ter Oct. 9, 2014. On Jan. 23, where we are today if we didn’t
WKHRQHFRPSOHWLQJWKDWWDVNLQGHÀQLWHO\µ WRGD\7KHLUXQEHOLHYDEO\JHQ- F-16 Fighting Falcon-only 3OHXV ÁHZ KLV ODVW VRUWLH LQ have the support of some great
erous opportunity resulted in installation for 19 years. The an F-16, representing a step people that have put us where
Lt. Col. Charles Jones leasing this land to the United 56th FW last changed its mis- we are.”
607th Air Control Squadron States Air Force for one dollar sion 25 years ago.
a year and that still holds true
WEATHER today.”
Today Luke AFB currently has 23
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100°/68° VFKHGXOHG WR KDYH VL[ ÀJKWHU
squadrons and 144 F-35s. In
Hot & Sunny the next few years, 10 other
countries are planning to con-
duct F-35 training at Luke,
including Norway, Italy, Tur-
key, Netherlands, Denmark,
Canada, Israel, Japan and
South Korea. Australia has al-
UHDG\DUULYHGDQGLVÁ\LQJZLWK
the 61st Fighter Squadron.
“Today we take another step
forward for the U.S. Air Force
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formally updating our mission
statement. Beginning today the
mission of Luke Air Force Base
is simple – train the world’s
JUHDWHVW)DQG)ÀJKWHU
pilots.”
Pleus then welcomed Lor-
raine Martin, executive vice
president and general manager
Go to luke.af.mil for Luke Facebook link 8VH\RXUVPDUWSKRQHWR
connect to our website!