C-17 Pilot Reaches 10,000 Flight Hours

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Lt. Col. Stephen Clements, an Air Force Reservist flying C-17s in Southwest Asia with the 817th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, reached his 10,000th flight hour as a military pilot, according to a squadron release. Clements hit the mark on Oct. 20 during a mission redeploying Army Stryker combat vehicles from Afghanistan as part of the US military’s drawdown from there, according to the unit’s Nov. 8 release. “I am very fortunate to have reached 10,000 hours while serving my country and flying in the military,” he said. Clements began flying with the Air Force in 1991; he has piloted C-141s and C-17s. Since 2000, he has been assigned to Air Force Reserve Command’s 313th Airlift Squadron at JB Lewis-McChord, Wash. He has amassed two-thirds of his flight hours since the 9/11 terrorist attacks, according to the release. Clements is set to retire from the Air Force in January. (405th AEG report by Capt. Anthony Santosus)

Audio of this article is brought to you by the Air & Space Forces Association, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their families. Find out more at afa.org