OIF pilot is November Warrior of Month

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Mary Davis
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. --  Whether he's training student pilots at the 8th Flying Training Squadron or in Balad, Iraq, commanding combat missions, Capt. C. Ian Moore gives 110 percent to the military. It was his dedicated work performance and commitment to the mission that made him the 71st Flying Training Wing November Warrior of the Month. 

At Vance Air Force Base, Captain Moore serves as a mentor to two flight commanders and 30 instructor pilots, ensuring the on-time finish for 41 Joint Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training students. He also manages a $201,000 budget despite a 15 percent funds cut and a 5 percent increase in student load. 

As the Joint Airborne Battle Staff Mission commander from March 1 to July 15, Captain Moore commanded 40 C-130 Hercules combat missions, flew 320 hours and provided direct support for more than 2,000 convoys. He also coordinated the efforts of nine explosive ordnance disposal teams in clearing improvised explosive devices on supply routes of coalition forces. 

Through the many operations and hard work, he said the most rewarding part of his deployed duty was assisting the ground forces. 

"Every mission, I was able to help troops on the ground deal with direct threats - some were life threatening," said the Oklahoma City native. What also helped was learning different perspectives on the best use of airpower (strategic through tactical) and the organization and operations of the other three military services, he said. 

Thoughts of returning to his family - wife Lori and sons, Jaxson, 8, and Clayton, 2 - kept him going, he said. 

"My family and its safety were my inspiration," he said. "This is a fight that is important to the security of our country. I wanted to do the best I could to ensure success." 

Also there making Operation Iraqi Freedom a success were the deployed Airmen, who gave of themselves to the Iraqi community. 

"Airmen are working hard to do good things everyday," said Captain Moore, who is also the assistant operations officer. "The volunteerism was amazing. The number of individuals that dedicated their personal time to help local Iraqis at the base hospital was overwhelming." 

Whether you volunteered or were "volun-told" to deploy, Captain Moore's advice to people going down range is to "make the most of your time and do the best job you can," he said. "Sometimes you don't have a choice of what you do, but you always have a choice of how you do it."