The 12th Fighter Squadron at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, will be sending a second pilot for the second year in a row to the Air Force Thunderbirds Aerial Demonstration Team. Second Lt. Erin Slaughter reports that USAF has selected Lt. Col. Gregory Thomas to fill the T-Birds No. 1 position for the 2008 and 2009 air show seasons. Thomas will command the Thunderbird’s 120-person squadron.
The incoming head of the 7th Air Force will face an intense mission while relying on 4th-generation fighters to stave off looming threats from North Korea and China.