'A great day of firsts'

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Agneta Murnan
  • 71st Flying Training Wing
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  The 71st Flying Training Wing saw the first product of its 3rd Fighter Training Squadron that stood up at Vance Air Force Base April 26. Monday, the squadron graduated its first six students from the 40-day Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals course.

"It's a great day of firsts for IFF, for Vance," 3rd FTS Commander Lt. Col. Tom Tyson remarked. "Today is the culmination of a lot of hard work. Hard work by the Warbird AT-38C instructors for standing up a fighter squadron inside of six months, and for providing world-class instruction to our first class of fledgling fighter pilots. Also, hard work by the Computer Sciences Corporation maintenance team who took delivery of and prepared 18 fully mission-capable AT-38C aircraft for air-to-air and air-to-ground training missions. 

"Ultimately, the students, recent graduates of the 25th Flying Training Squadron, worked hard and successfully accomplished all requirements of a highly demanding fighter spin-up program."

IFF students were those selected to fly fighter aircraft after completing basic pilot training. The course is designed with five different tracks: "A" for air-to-air training for future F-15C student pilots, "B" for air-to-air and air-to-ground training for future F-16 or F-15E student pilots and "C" for air-to-ground tactics for future A-10 student pilots. There is also a "D" track for weapon systems officers and an "E" track for air-to-air and air combat maneuvering for the future F-22 student pilots. 

There were no first "wash-outs" with this class. The six who began the course graduated Monday. First Lieutenant John Newman will move on to F-15C training at Tyndall AFB, Fla. First Lieutenant Bird is assigned to the Montana Air National Guard and will be sent to Klamath Falls, Ore. for F-15C training. Second Lt. Matt Jones and 1st Lt. Jared Yankech are off to A-10 training at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. First Lieutenants Dan Naim and Jerrod Sonderman will begin F-16 training at Luke AFB, Ariz.

Lieutenant Newman received the Air-to-Air Top Gun award for best basic fighter maneuvering in offensive and defensive positions. Lieutenant Jones received the Air-to-Ground Top Gun award measuring computer simulated bombs-on-target accuracy.

"I'm proud of the men and women of the 71 FTW and CSC for standing up a new mission. And today, I'm proud of the first class for graduating...good luck and 'Kill Migs'," Colonel Tyson said.