MEDIA CONTEST: Aggressor pilot selected for Thunderbird team

  • Published
  • Outstanding New Writer Entry 3B
ACC MEDIA CONTEST --  When he was five-years old, he saw his first airplane, and it was love at first sight. Even as a small boy, he had very large dreams.

"Even though I was so young, I knew I wanted to be a pilot," he recollected.

Now, almost 30 years later, Maj. Chris Austin has achieved his dream and is about to exceed every expectation he's ever had for himself. The 64th Aggressor Squadron pilot was recently selected to join the elite U.S. Air Force Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds.

The Port Orchard, Wash., native attended the Air Force Academy, located in Colorado Springs, Colo. After graduating in 1995, he went on to pilot training and has been an F-16 pilot since.

From Shaw AFB in South Carolina to Camp Red Cloud in Korea to Aviano AB in Italy, Major Austin has been stationed in areas all across the world.

He's has been on seven Air Expeditionary Force rotations, contributing directly to the effort of Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Allied Force.

With that amount of experience and combat time under his belt, Major Austin decided to take another step in his career and apply to join the Thunderbirds.

His application went up against countless other applicants and came down to 10 semi-finalists.

Major Austin described meeting his competition.

"I was impressed with everyone I met. The 10 left were all class acts... I would have chosen any one of them to work with," he said.

Still, he was elated when he found out he was selected to fill the left-wing position.

"I am humbled and honored at the same time," Major Austin said. "Who the Thunderbirds are...what they represent is a huge responsibility."

"There are troops in Iraq, Africa and Afghanistan, and here I am, getting the chance to represent them, the Air Force and the military," he continued.

He paused for a moment before reflecting on what he described as one of the most memorable moments of his career.

"During a deployment over in Iraq, my mission was to fly sorties over the country," he said. "One evening, a TACP (tactical air controller) asked me if there was any chance if I could orbit over his team's position so they could get a few hours of sleep. They hadn't had any sleep for the last 48 hours."

"Now, I've shot, been shot at and dropped bombs, but this moment blew me away," the major continued. "I said, 'Of course I will ... it's my honor to take care of you.'"

With the support of his wife, Capt. Athanasia Austin, an advanced maintenance school instructor here, Major Austin will begin his Thunderbird training in November.

"The Thunderbirds is a very impressive organization. They really take to heart what and who they represent," he said.