Category: Aviation

Source: United States Air Force

SHEPPARD AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFNS) —  

President Abraham Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation on January 1, 1863, declaring, “all persons held as slaves” within rebellious states “are, and henceforth shall be free.” However, it took two and half years for the word to reach Texas, the last bastion of Confederate power. It wasn’t until June 19, 1865, when U.S. Army Maj. Gen. Gordon Granger announced General Order No. 3 in Galveston, Texas when more than 250,000 enslaved people were finally free.

Juneteenth, a combination of the words June and nineteenth became a federal holiday June 17, 2021. Before that, it was a uniquely Texan observance for many years, which is why Connie Ali, 82nd Training Wing Equal Opportunity director, did not learn about it herself until adulthood. A North Carolina native, Ali said she was never taught about the significance of the day. Now, she is on a mission to make sure people understand the importance of the holiday.

“I think people on the installation should have an awareness what Juneteenth means to people outside the gates,” she said. “If they see a parade or different events going on and they’re not from Texas, they may not have an understanding. But if we educate and give them an awareness, they know why they are celebrating this. I just feel as if we, the people on the installation and the leaders, can articulate it ourselves, it will give a better awareness to the younger people.”

Although Juneteenth is the oldest recognized African American-celebrated observance, it’s still new to many Americans. For Ali, the shared experience of becoming more aware of the meaning behind the holiday is a chance to talk about where we’ve been as Americans, where we are, and where we’re going.

“Learning about Juneteenth should bring up conversations to say that ‘hey, this is a significant event that happened in our history and let’s talk about it.’ I just think that some people fear of talking about it because of the term slave. And that can cause a divisive conversation. But I would find it’s a great opportunity to say, look at how far we have come. Let’s just talk and truly have conversations about it. Because it is an important, important event in American history.”

This Juneteenth, Ali hopes people will stop and reflect about why it’s celebrated as they enjoy the holiday itself.

“Let us observe Juneteenth just as we observe Independence Day – as a significant turning point for freedom in our nation’s history, and one where we were willing to pay a heavy price to ultimately live out our highest principles,” she said. “As we commemorate Juneteenth, let us embrace the opportunity to learn and empathize by recognizing the importance of this historical event.”

Source: United States Air Force

PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) —  

The 302nd Airlift Wing participated in a 10-day exercise stressing command and control capabilities in a scenario simulating a large-scale conflict from June 3-13th, at Peterson Space Force Base and Fort Carson, Colorado. 

The 4th Infantry Division‘s Ivy Mass exercise called for the Army, Air Force, Space Force and Marine Corps to work together in a multi-domain environment with 4ID operations in a fire support coordination role throughout the exercise. 

“The Air Force contributed as a critical component to live training objectives with tangible real-world effects,” said Army Maj. Matthew Van Vliet, 4 ID’s lethal effects artillery planner for the exercise. “The capabilities provided by the C-130 facilitated the completion of mission essential tasks for both Army active and National Guard components.” 

The 302 AW flew 17 sorties employing C-130H Hercules aircraft in support of the exercise and accomplished more than 1,300 training events across multiple types of missions to include airdrop, air mobility and flight operations. The exercise also enabled more than a dozen crews to be certified and deployable in alignment with the Force Generation Cycle. 

“Overall, I think we performed very well,” said Air Force Maj. Michael Hall, the lead C-130 air planner for Ivy Mass. “We got a lot out of it and the goal was for us to go through the full range of military operations which is what we accomplished.” 

Crews integrated and trained largely with Army personnel. They inserted Special Forces personnel into multiple objective areas using various tactics including personnel airdrop, high-altitude military parachuting and military free fall. They also transported all-terrain vehicles to an austere location using expedited engine-running offload procedures at an unimproved dirt airstrip. 

Airmen and Soldiers trained loading an M142 High Mobility Artillery Rocket System into the cargo bay, a light multiple-rocket launcher tactical vehicle capable of being transported by three different types of cargo aircraft. 

“It’s crucial for the different branches to continue and increase joint training as we look towards large-scale combat operations,” said Army Maj. Matthew Tieszen, 4ID’s lead staff planner for Ivy Mass. “The Army and Air Force have a long-standing relationship and joint training is vital in preparation for future conflicts.” 

Flight paramedics with the 34th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron also practiced transferring patients from helicopters to fixed-wing aircraft during a simulated crisis scenario. UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter crews picked up patients from the point of injury and transported them to the airstrip where C-130 crews were on the ground waiting to pick them up and transport them to elevated stages of care.

Aircrews practiced flying in environments with varying stress conditions ranging from military freefall at night, operating without GPS capability, discharging chaff and flare during fighter engagement tactics and more. 

In between training scenarios, the ground teams accomplished specialized refueling operations focused on getting aircraft refueled quickly and off the ground again. Maintenance crews also ensured the aircraft continued to fly reliably during the increased operational tempo of the exercise.

“Maintenance came through for us in a lot of ways,” Hall said. “They got us the planes we needed throughout the exercise which is no small feat when we have that many missions and training lines.” 

After seven months of planning by more than a dozen organizations involving thousands of personnel culminating in 10 days of operations the exercise ended, and crews discussed their findings. 

Some lessons learned included getting accustomed to breaking away from bubbles, Hall explained. With a myriad of organizations communicating with each other a common tendency is for personnel to stay inside familiar bubbles within their scope of operations. The exercise provided an opportunity to break free from these self-imposed boundaries and solve problems that arise from the resulting friction points.

“Within the wing I think we have multiple lessons learned now between tactics, intel, current operations, maintenance and flying operations in general regarding how we can perform better and get us out of our comfort zones,” said Hall. 

The 302 AW will have several opportunities to put those lessons into practice this year as the wing continues to provide its mission of world-class airlift and combat support around the world.

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

Adding detail and context to an ambitious effort for “reoptimizing” the Air Force, Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin said in separate appearances June 13 and 14 that changing the way the Total Force trains, plans, modernizes, and is equipped must succeed for the Air Force to meet emerging challenges from China and other competitors.

Speaking first at an Air & Space Warfighters in Action session June 13, Allvin said the Air Force has made real and tangible progress instituting elements of a broad strategy announced in February to evolve how the Air Force develops people, generates readiness, projects power, and develops integrated capabilities.

Allvin pointed out, for example, progress in reinstituting warrant officers to help fill and keep personnel with in-demand skills such as cyber and information technology. That effort, he said, is well underway, with the warrant officer selection board scheduled to convene this month and the announcement of selects tentatively scheduled for late July.

The service started soliciting applications from April 25 to May 31 for Airmen aspiring to become the inaugural cohort of warrant officers in information technology and cyber careers.

He also provided an unambiguous rationale for the undertaking and why Air Force leaders insist on pushing it forward with urgency.

“We are finding that it is more difficult to retain the cyber talent that we spend a lot of time investing in, and that is going to be so critical to us going forward,” Allvin said at AFA. “We believe this is going to be a good path to ensure that we have the talent for today and tomorrow in a very cyber-heavy force that we’re going to need.”

Separate efforts to assemble, train, and deploy so-called “Air Task Forces” are moving briskly. These units will work and train together throughout the AFFORGEN cycle to deploy as Units of Action in fiscal year 2026. The introduction of ATFs marks a significant milestone in the journey toward modernization and readiness, laying the groundwork to ensure the Air Force maintains a competitive advantage over the pacing challenge, he said.

“We have an advancing threat the likes of which we haven’t seen for decades,” Allvin said at AFA. He went on to say, “a key piece of reoptimization is taking all our Airmen and developing them with a common understanding of that threat … That’s central to being ‘Mission Ready Airmen’.”

In addition to understanding the threat, Mission Ready Airmen comprehend the service’s unique and inherent capabilities to defend against the threat.

“If we believe that the future of national defense and the joint force is going to require some of the attributes that exist in our air and space forces, then we have a requirement to not only be able to participate in the joint force, we need to be leading it. The character of war is privileging the things that airpower has been doing for a long time.Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin

In a media session June 14 at the Pentagon, Allvin expounded on his comments from the day prior and discussed the need to be “One Air Force.”

“We are taking an Air Force that has been somewhat fragmented due to the strategic environment over the years and really better aligning it and coming back to be one Air Force with one force design, one unit of action type, and one Airmen development concept,” he told a group of reporters.

Near the end of the hour-long session with reporters, Allvin articulated his long-term commitment to the reoptimization effort and better integrating the force.

“I got about a little less than three and a half years left [as Chief of Staff] … and this [reoptimization] is what I am going to be about. It will be nonstop. That I can promise you,” Allvin said.

Source: United States Air Force

ARLINGTON, Va. (AFNS) —  

U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David W. Allvin hosted Slovak Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Róbert Tóth for an official counterpart visit June 11 to reaffirm the close U.S.-Slovakia bilateral defense relationship and explore new opportunities to advance mutual security interests.

As part of the visit, Tóth received a full honors arrival and was awarded a Legion of Merit at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, attended both an office call and staff talks with Allvin at the Pentagon, and participated in a wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier at Arlington National Cemetery.

During the office call, Allvin expressed concern and sympathy over the recent attempted assassination of Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico and offered his best wishes for Fico’s swift recovery. Allvin also congratulated Slovakia on its 20-year anniversary as a member of NATO, noting Slovakia’s steadfast commitment to the alliance and its critical role in maintaining peace and security in Europe. Allvin praised Slovak Air Force modernization efforts and reaffirmed the U.S. Air Force commitment to Slovakia’s acquisition of F-16 Block 70 aircraft, which he underscored will strengthen bilateral defense cooperation, increase interoperability with U.S. and NATO forces, and reinforce the security of NATO’s Eastern Flank. Allvin further conveyed appreciation for Slovakia’s support to Ukraine, including its humanitarian assistance efforts and hosting of thousands of refugees. 

The office call was followed by staff talks to discuss a range of topics. Subjects included bilateral security cooperation, Slovakia’s F-16 program, and air defense.

In addition to his engagements in the national capital region, Tóth traveled to Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, for briefings on remotely piloted aircraft capabilities. He also visited nearby Nellis AFB to receive briefings on Red Flag exercises and F-16 operations and maintenance.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas (AFNS) —  

The Air Force Services Center announced the winners of the 2024 Air Force Art Contest recently.

This year’s judges had the task of evaluating more than 1,500 entries in two adult and three youth categories to determine the best in the Department of the Air Force with impact, creativity and technical expertise.

“We’re extremely excited this year because of the number of entries, over 200 more than last year, and the 3D competition has gone exceptionally well,” said Naybu Fullman, Air Force Services Center art contest program manager.

Lian Kitts, a member of the AFSVC Air Force Nonappropriated Funds Procurement office, was one of this year’s judges. She holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Fashion and Accessories Design with a minor in Art History from the Savannah College of Art and Design and has been an artist her entire life.

While combing through this year’s entries, she was impressed with what she saw, especially considering the wide range of abilities and ages.

“Some of the pieces were so lifelike they almost looked like photographs,” she said, “and others were raw and invoked emotion. It was inspiring to see so many active-duty Airmen and Guardians with so much talent!”

She was also happy to see the skill levels of young artists.

“The younger artist entries displayed their interest in art and self-expression at such a young age which is so important,” Kitts said. “The wide range in mediums was surprising, especially the number of mixed media and 3D pieces submitted for this year’s consideration. I was excited to see pottery, leather and metal work along with unconventional media sculptures in the submissions – unexpected.”

Community programs, like the art contest, are an important part of building and supporting the resiliency of Airmen, Guardians and their families.

The annual contest allows military and civilian members, and their families to express themselves creatively which can be an outlet for many of them, Fullman said.

“Whether in remote and isolated locations, or in densely populated areas, programs like this strengthen the resiliency of our members, and foster a camaraderie amongst like-minded artists. It also provides such a valuable incentive for installations who can showcase the talent within their communities,” he said.

“We look forward to continuing to add value to the experience of our huge military family through this contest and our 2024 Air Force Photo Contest that kicks off in the fall,” Fullman said.

More information on the photo contest, which runs Sept. 15-Nov. 15, will be released before the contest begins but photographers are encouraged to start planning and taking images now.

Congratulations to this year’s winners:
 

2D art winners
Adult Accomplished: first place “Weightless” by Nicole Taggart, Hill Air Force Base, Utah; second place “Heritage” by Liberty Araas, F.E. Warren AFB, Wyoming; and third place “Adam and Eve” by Angela Miller, Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii

Adult Novice: first place “Echoes in the Night” by Donna-Marie Burr-Stitham, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.; “Return to Nature” by Amuri Morris, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado; and third place “Sea Wall Sunset” by Kate-Lynn Wile, Kadena Air Base, Japan

Youth 13-17: first place “Willow” by Morgan Becker, Hill AFB; second place “Between Life and Death” by Kira Ayn Waller, Travis AFB, Calif; and third place “Bombs Bursting in Air” by Sue-Ah Choi, Naval Support Activity Saratoga Springs, Fla.

Youth 9-12: first place “Autumn Table” by Grace Valpiani, Edwards AFB, Calif.; second place “To the Sky” by Serena Hendricks, Andersen AFB, Guam; and third place “2 Sides of the Day” by Aadya Ravikumar, Los Angeles AFB

Youth 6-8: first place “Bumblebee” by Aarnav Ravikumar, Los Angeles AFB, Calif.; second place “Frog” by Jolianna Rios, Travis AFB; and third place “The Loving Moose” by Sienna Beene, JB Pearl Harbor-Hickam

3D art winners
Adult Accomplished: first place “Artemis Goddess of the Hunt” by Isaiah Bettinger, Ramstein Air Base, Germany; second place “Head in the Clouds” by Jennifer Richardson, Royal Air Force Mildenhall, United Kingdom; and third place “Orchid Melody Scarf” by Linda Zorichak, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Fla.

Adult Novice: first place “Heavy Metal” by Jordan Kuykendall, USAFA; second place “Druid Tree” by Heide Rice, Hill AFB; and third place “Pleasing Canine” by Angelo Gayner, Malmstrom AFB, Montana

Youth 13-17: first place “Rong” by Ella Bui, Tinker AFB, Okla.; second place “Kitchen Crime Scene” by Danica Johnson, Scott AFB, Ill.; and third place “Bloom” by Abigail Morgenstern, Hill AFB

Youth 9-12: first place “Sunset Eiffel Tower” by Lillian Stafford, Ramstein AB; second place “Crochet Gecko” by Cal Arn, Davis Monthan AFB, Ariz.; and third place “A Cat Named Wildheart” by Eliza Janzik, Holloman AFB, N.M.

Youth 6-8: first place “Camping” by Smantha Lee, Camp Humphreys, South Korea; second place “Marine Majesty-Turtle’s Realm” by Taryn Andreotta, Eglin AFB, Fla.; and third place “Unknown Creatures” by Russell Quinn, Joint Base Andrews, Md.

Source: United States Air Force

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) —  

In this week’s look around the Air Force, a new drone program scans aircraft to streamline maintenance operations, two test launches of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile, and DAF civilians can voice their opinions by taking the Federal Employee Viewpoint Survey. (Hosted by Staff Sgt. Stephani Barge)

Watch on DVIDS | Watch on YouTube
For previous episodes, click here for the Air Force TV page.

Source: United States Air Force

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) —  

The Air Force Materiel Command is expanding its Acquisition Workforce Personnel Demonstration Project, with a target date for converting all eligible General Schedule employees by June 2025.

“Our mission requires us to attract and retain exceptional top talent, and AcqDemo is our vehicle to get there using 21st century hiring tools and techniques,” said Lorna Estep, AFMC executive director, in a memorandum to staff. “AcqDemo aims to provide a system that retains, recognizes and rewards employees for their contributions, and supports their personal and professional development.”

There are currently more than 26,500 Department of the Air Force employees in the Acquisition Demonstration Project, with Air and Space Force personnel comprising 46% of the total Department of Defense AcqDemo population. Approximately 26,000 AFMC positions will convert in 2025.

AFMC began advertising and filling eligible vacant bargaining unit positions as AcqDemo in October 2023. The AcqDemo workforce will continue to grow through attrition, leading up to the current GS workforce converting in June 2025.

The 2025 conversion will affect eligible GS employees in bargaining and non-bargaining units across all AFMC installations. Exceptions to conversion include:

• Personnel in ranks above GS-15, such as Senior Executive Staff
• Non-GS employees, such as Federal Wage System employees, leaders and supervisors
• Employees in organizations already participating in another personnel system, including their respective GS employees. Examples include the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Air Force Laboratory Personnel Demonstration Project, and intelligence personnel participating in the Defense Civilian Intelligence Personnel System
• Locations that have not completed labor negotiations with the local union

“AcqDemo gives AFMC the flexibility to attract, incentivize, and retain the exceptional talent needed to maintain our nation’s competitive edge,” said Amanda Stroop, AFMC Personnel Demonstration Programs Branch chief. “Some major benefits of AcqDemo include pay setting flexibilities, a more simplified classification system, contribution-based performance assessment and more. We feel this conversion will positively benefit our command and the workforce.”

AcqDemo consists of three separate career paths and associated pay schedules. Employees are classified as Business and Technical Management Professionals (NH), Technical management Support (NJ) or Administrative Support (NK) based on their specific career series. Each career path consists of four broadbands – I, II, III, IV – designed to facilitate pay progression and internal assignment of duties, and to allow for more competitive recruiting of quality candidates at differing pay rates.

Pay increases are linked directly to individual performance ratings, with the opportunity for employees to earn Contribution Rating Increases annually. This differs from the GS workforce which is subject to multi-year periods between higher-level step increases and a two-year waiting requirement for Quality Step Increases.

While terminology, rating cycles, rewards, classification and staffing, and support tools will change with the AcqDemo expansion, benefits and general labor processes will remain the same. This includes retirement, health insurance, life insurance and other benefits; leave and work schedules; travel allowances; Veterans’ preference; merit system principles; prohibited personnel practices and anti-discrimination laws; and more.

Employees will continue to be covered by the Master Labor Agreement and any other collective bargaining agreement.

To learn more about AcqDemo, visit here. The site includes information, definitions, training modules and more. A conversion calculator is available here.

Extensive training for all AFMC employees, supervisors, and pay pool administrators will be conducted over the next year to ensure the workforce is informed of the upcoming change. Employees are encouraged to work with their supervisors and to watch for upcoming training events.

For additional information on AcqDemo, employees can also view the AFMC AcqDemo SharePoint site (CAC-enabled) here.

Source: United States Air Force

FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AFNS) —  

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin postured the Air Force Medical Service to better serve installation commanders and the medical readiness of Airmen and Guardians by signing Program Action Directive 24-01, June 12.

The PAD authorizes the formation of the Air Force Medical Command, or AFMEDCOM, as a direct reporting unit aligned with the Secretary of the Air Force’s readiness priorities and support capabilities lines of effort.

Previously, the Air Force Medical Readiness Agency, the AFMS’s former field operating agency, redesignated as Air Force Medical Agency and achieved initial operational capability in October 2023. It served as an initial step toward the CSAF’s direction to transform elements of the office Air Force Surgeon General headquarters functions into AFMEDCOM.

“This alignment will improve the Air Force’s ability to generate medically ready forces, provide installation support, and improve our partnership with the Defense Health Agency to optimize health care delivery,” said Lt. Gen. Robert Miller, U.S. Air Force surgeon general. “This is aligned with the Department of Air Force’s efforts to reemphasize its focus on readiness.”

Miller said AFMEDCOM will provide an operational medical capability – organized, trained and equipped – to be an organic part of the DAF’s warfighting force elements. The command will ensure DAF Airmen, Guardians and their families receive timely and quality medical care, whether assigned to installations supported by large or small military treatment facilities. It will also meet DHA commitments to serve the larger beneficiary population.

The Air Force is following through on the PAD by adopting a phased approach to effectively stand up AFMEDCOM.

“We’ve done extensive planning and coordination, but there’s still more work to do,” Miller said. “This is a significant moment in the Air Force’s history, and we want to ensure AFMEDCOM is implemented seamlessly and correctly.”

No immediate changes will occur at the installation level. As part of the implementation plan, over the next few months, AFMEDCOM leaders will refine the headquarters structure and ensure personnel fully transition to their role on the AFMEDCOM staff. Meanwhile, planners will continue to develop command relationships and roles and responsibilities before any permanent changes are implemented at the installation level.

When finalized, AFMEDCOM will provide command and control of its personnel to execute DAF and AF/SG readiness requirements.

“We’re taking a conditions-based approach to ensure the effective transfer of personnel and responsibilities of AFMEDCOM,” said Maj. Gen. John DeGoes, U.S. Air Force deputy surgeon general. “We’ve had extensive conversations with leadership at all levels. AFMS is a critical component of readiness and ensuring commanders have the medical support they need is essential.”

According to the PAD, in addition to serving as the principal medical advisor to the SecAF, CSAF and Chief of Space Operations, the Air Force surgeon general will serve as the AFMEDCOM commander and will lead AFMEDCOM’s functions. These include providing medical command authority needed to optimize, organize and train for readiness; maximizing focus on Air Force Force Generation support to the U.S. Air Force and Space Force; providing an Air Force-led intermediate management structure to preside over military treatment facilities; and deconflicting operational requirements to ensure optimized health care delivery.

AFMEDCOM’s structure includes two regional commands, Medical Readiness Command Alpha and MRC Bravo, each overseeing subordinate medical units. Among the conditions for AFMEDCOM as a direct reporting unit, it is to achieve initial operational capability for all layers of headquarters to have staffing.

“Eventually, medical groups currently aligned to major commands or field commands will be formally reclassified as AFMEDCOM capabilities aligned under medical wings, but not for some time,” DeGoes said.

He explained that when the Air Force begins transferring the groups under AFMEDCOM, that action will be done thoughtfully, incrementally and in full coordination with major commands, field commands and installations.

A programming plan will follow with required steps to implement and execute these functions. This plan will include a detailed approach to align installation-level medical units and assigned personnel.

In the years since Congress implemented the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2017 and transferred health care authorities from the services to the DHA, the services have worked closely with DHA to manage priorities. AFMS planners analyzed Air Force concerns voiced by service leaders at the CORONA Commander’s Conference in the fall of 2022 and evaluated DHA’s market structure as well as its sister service medical structures. The planners then worked with Air Force leaders to determine the best course of action moving forward; AFMEDCOM was the solution.

Source: United States Air Force

JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-RANDOLPH, Texas (AFNS) —  

Air Force officials have selected 6,914 staff sergeants for promotion to technical sergeant out of 35,328 eligible for a selection rate of 19.57% in the 24E6 promotion cycle, which includes supplemental promotion opportunities.

The average overall score for those selected was 390.6. Selectees’ average time in grade was 4.92 years and time in service was 9.75 years.

The promotion list is available on the Air Force Personnel Center public website. Airmen can access their score notices on the virtual Military Personnel Flight via the AFPC secure page.

For more information about Air Force personnel programs, visit the AFPC public website.

Source: United States Air Force

RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, RHEINLAND-PFALZ, Germany (AFNS) —  

At five times the force of gravity, the force of acceleration is enough to overwhelm a heart’s ability to pump blood to the brain. If the effects aren’t mitigated, a typical human can expect to black out within a few seconds from oxygen starvation.

With top speeds of over 1,500 mph, modern fighter jets routinely pull up to 9 Gs.

“In a fighter jet, you’re sweating, you’re breathing through an inch-wide oxygen tube, balancing a gamut of controls and devices, all while pushing your body to its absolute limits,” explained retired Col. Cesar Rodriguez, a former U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II and F-15 Eagle pilot. “The threat of passing out at the controls is incredibly real.”

Rodriguez knows as much as anyone the dangers posed by being in a cockpit, making his attendance during a recent simulated basic fighting maneuvers exercise at Ramstein Air Base the through line between one of aerial combat’s most storied eras and the future of the aerial combat enterprise.

The exercise, held June 6, comprised 37 aircraft from nine NATO countries, including both pilots and maintainers. According to Lt. Col. Michael Loringer, chief of weapons and tactics for U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa and mission planner for the exercise, working with peer nations not only sharpens shared tactics but ensures any deficiencies in each nation’s pilot training curricula can be identified and corrected.

“Most of us out here know each other — the global fighter community is pretty tight-knit,” Loringer said. “What we’ve done with this exercise is we’ve pitted the best of Germany, Norway, France, the U.S., all these countries against one another in simulated dogfights — air-to-air engagements. Iron sharpens iron, so when these pilots finish the exercise, they’ll meet on the ground and discuss their fight.”

“It’s not about winning. It’s about learning,” he said.

Rodriguez, likewise, emphasized a quality he feels transcends the decades and makes a fighter pilot truly great: Humility.

“The best pilots I’ve known are the ones who, no matter how good they were or how much knowledge they had, were still looking for ways to improve,” he said.

Rodriguez made a continuous loop motion with his hands.

“Once you feel you’ve mastered your airframe, the technology is upgraded,” he continued. “Once you feel you’ve nailed a certain maneuver, it then becomes about perfecting that maneuver in coordination with other aircraft. There’s a continuum of readiness on display during this exercise that speaks to the broader NATO philosophy of not only keeping your own nation ready but also keeping ready as a joint-nation alliance.”

While readiness was the main goal of the exercise, the skies weren’t free from the occasional friendly rivalry.

French Air Force Lt. Col. Guillaume Veuille, commander of the 3/30th Fighter Squadron, has grown a friendship with Loringer throughout his career, participating in various exercises together.

“He (Loringer) is a great guy,” said Veuille, smiling. “Friendships like ours are common among our ranks and make it both a pleasure to work together and a reason to bring your best efforts to these types of engagements.”

When asked how he thought he’d fare in a fight with Loringer, Veuille gave a coy smile.

“Let’s just say it’d be a tough fight,” he said.

Loringer, who introduced the idea for the exercise, admitted he had some inspiration for his initial pitch.

“Not sure how familiar everyone is with the documentary, ‘Top Gun,’ but it’s founded on some solid logic,” Loringer laughed, addressing a cadre of pilots during a pre-mission brief. “And trust me, this exercise will have some Kenny Loggins.”

Indeed, the exercise leaned into the fun as well, including a burger burn and a live band, creating an effective backdrop against which many friendships were made during the day’s events.

As the thunder above the German landscape dissipated and the sun began to set, the pilots and maintainers gathered for one last event before parting ways.

Huddled around an acoustic piano, the tone grew somber as the group prepared to set the piano alight — a tradition from World War II in which a piano was burnt in memory of fighter pilots killed in action.

One by one, each pilot said aloud a name, each a fallen comrade, each with their own story, their own legend.

“Hap Arnold.”

“Michael Scott Speicher.”

“John Bates.”

“Graham Higgins.”

Rodriguez, too, reflected on the allegory of the piano.

“I’ve always compared flying to playing a piano symphony in the sky,” he explained. “There’s a lot to keep in mind, but there’s also an art to it — a way of being — and that doesn’t go away simply because you’re back on the ground.”

The piano kept aflame for some time, surrounded by singing members of different countries, before finally collapsing, sending a mass of embers billowing into the yawning night.