The Hawaii Air National Guard’s 199th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam has completed its final F-15 training mission. The unit is transitioning to F-22s, the first two of which arrived in July. “It’s like saying goodbye to a good friend,” said Lt. Col. James Sage, a 199th FS pilot who last week flew in the final training mission. He added, “It was exciting flying it for the last time, and especially against an F-22, but at the same time, the F-15 has always brought me home safely and [it has] been an outstanding aircraft.” The ANG unit will operate 20 Raptors. “The 199th [FS] proves that National Guard forces are capable of maintaining a strategic presence with its active duty association and providing a great value to our nation,” said Gen. Craig McKinley, National Guard Bureau chief. (Pearl Harbor-Hickam report by TSgt. Cohen A. Young)
Members of the Air Force Reserve’s 920th Rescue Wing helped save 11 airplane crash survivors off the coast of Florida on May 12. The Reserve Airmen were flying an HC-130J Combat King II and an HH-60W Jolly Green II on a routine training flight when a Coast Guard call diverted…