Class 06-03 grad gets base for family

  • Published
  • By Frank McIntyre
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  "First Lt. Shawn Mosher, C-21, Scott Air Force Base, Ill.," was the Dec. 2 assignment night announcement the Mosher family had been hoping for.
Unlike most of his classmates, Lieutenant Mosher was more concerned about his base of assignment than the aircraft he'd be flying.
For the Moshers, the assignment to Scott was more than an opportunity to fly C-21s, it means close proximity to St. Louis, Mo., and in particular, the St. Louis Children's Hospital.
The youngest member of the Mosher family, 20-month-old Austin, is the reason the location was of importance. The children's hospital there is acknowledged as the world's finest for performing the lung transplant surgery he may need.
Lieutenant Mosher had just begun flight training as a member of Class 05-07 at Moody AFB, Ga., when he got a call from his wife Abby that there were problems with the baby they were expecting.
"A sonogram at 32 weeks showed the baby would be born with severe health problems," Lieutenant Mosher said. "Since I was just starting training, it made sense to be set back until after the birth."
A month later, April 14, 2004, Austin was born. At only two pounds, 13 ounces and 16-inches long, he had serious heart and lung problems as well as Down syndrome. At 9-days old, he would undergo the first of six major operations he would have while his father tried to balance demands on the home front with demands of pilot training.
"I missed by one matching the number of operations he had with the number of classes I was a member of," Lieutenant Mosher said. With the breaks and setbacks necessitated by his son's operations, he went from Class 05-07 to 05-11 and 05-13, before finishing Phase I training at Moody as a member of Class 05-15, extending a six-month program into 14 months.
Then came the next hurdle in the lieutenant's quest for his wings - finding a base where he could get his Phase II training in the T-1.
"Air Force health care requirements for Austin restricted my assignment possibilities. While most of my 05-15 classmates were leaving Moody for their follow-on training, I was still searching for a fit," the Air Force Academy graduate said. "There were even suggestions from personnel about finding another career field or separating from the Air Force before I was finally accepted for training at Vance."
Once at Vance and a member of Class 06-03 with the 32nd Flying Training Squadron, Lieutenant Mosher's training continued uninterrupted, culminating with his wife Abby pinning on his wings during today's graduation ceremony.
"None of this would have been possible without my wife," he said. "Her perseverance through pilot training allowed me to succeed. The whole experience has really enforced the real meaning of family in my life.
"But we've had lots of great people from our extended Air Force family helping us. There are too many to list, but I do owe a special thank you to Capt. Alan Baum, my M Flight commander, who has been very supportive during his assignment as flight commander."
"Everyone deals with stress here at pilot training, but Lieutenant Mosher dealt with the standard training stresses along with a constant concern for his son's health," Captain Baum said. "He requested no special treatment and worked extremely hard for his wings. That work ethic made it possible for us to work with him to reach his goal. It's great to see that through Shawn and Abby's perseverance, they have achieved their goal of seeing Shawn pin on his wings and get the treatment that Austin needs."
Lieutenant Mosher has not received his reporting date for Scott yet, but they'll become familiar with the area soon. Austin is scheduled for surgery Tuesday at St. Louis Children's Hospital. The family hopes to be back at Vance in time to celebrate Christmas. In addition to a new assignment, the new year will bring a brother for Austin and his 8-year-old sister Asiya as the couple is expecting a baby in January.
"It's a real testament to Lieutenant Mosher's hard work and dedication that he will graduate from pilot training today," said Lt. Col. Roger Johnson, former 32nd commander. "Pilot training is a very difficult program for most without the extreme hardships that he has had to deal with during the past six months at Vance.
"Lieutenant Mosher, Vance support agencies, and many local families and friends have a lot to be proud of this graduation day when he walks across the stage, all were key in making this happen. My congratulations go out to Lieutenant Mosher and the entire class for their accomplishments. Best of luck to you all!"