Col. Patrick McKenzie, 
commander of the 51st Fighter Wing at Osan AB, South Korea, reached his 3,000th flight hour in the F-16, joining a group of some 200 pilots worldwide who have accumulated this many hours in the Viper cockpit, according to a base release. “I feel very lucky to have been able to reach this feat,” said McKenzie, who reached the milestone during a March 28 sortie, states the release. “While I get to personally reach the milestone, it is not something that I accomplished myself. Many others to include maintainers, support personnel, and fellow fighter pilots have all made this milestone attainable,” he added. McKenzie has been an F-16 pilot for more than 22 years, according to the release. “This is a rare accomplishment for any fighter pilot; I have been blessed to fly the F-16 long enough to reach the mark,” he said. (Osan report by SSgt. Sara Csurilla)
Space Force Component in Pacific Gets New Commander
July 29, 2025
The Space Force’s main arm in the Pacific got a new leader July 25, as Brig. Gen. Brian Denaro succeeded Maj. Gen. Anthony J. Mastalir as head of Space Forces Indo-Pacific.