A snapshot of 2007

  • Published
  • By Connie Lisowski
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Historian
COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. --  Everyone has heard the old saying, "time flies when you are having fun." I'm not so sure it's because we are always having fun or because we are an extremely busy small base. Looking back over the past year, the 14th Flying Training Wing has definitely been busy, and it doesn't seem like another year has come and gone already. 

In January, the first ever Blaze 5/6 Council was formed, the Airmen's Attic moved to a new location, Columbus Mayor, Honorable Robert Smith, visited the base to learn more about its mission and senior leaders held a town hall meeting to answer questions about concerns voiced by base personnel and their families. Also, a T-38 encountered a flock of Mallard ducks in Northern Mississippi, which resulted in the aircraft crashing, but thankfully both pilots ejected safely. 

February brought the Commander in Chief's Installation Excellence Award team to town. Columbus was one of three finalists vying for $1 million. Just being a finalist resulted in the base receiving $500,000 for quality of life projects. The base also held the annual Prayer Luncheon and Annual Awards Banquet, hosted the rock band, "The Fray," and reveled in the arrival of the first T-38C of the 49th Fighter Training Squadron. 

The base hosted several distinguished visitors in March to include Kevin Greene, a retired National Football League linebacker; Lt. Gen. Osamu Arano of the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force; and Maj. Gen. Jack Catton, former wing commander, who was the guest speaker for class 07-06. In addition, base personnel helped George "Happy" Irby celebrate his 92nd birthday at a gathering at the Columbus Club. 

Late in April, 29 business and civil leaders participated in the Civic Leaders Tour. While in transit on a KC-135, they were able to witness a refueling mission of a B-52 from Barksdale AFB, La. They went on to visit Kirkland AFB, N.M., and Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. 

Lieutenant Col. Thomas Lennon assumed command of the 49th Fighter Training Squadron in May. The 49th FTS returned to Columbus to teach the Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals course. Sadly, due to low patronage, the base theater officially closed for showing movies. Fifty-two personnel graduated from the Community College of the Air Force. The base held its third annual Knights of the Round Table, in which 43 group and squadron commanders attended to have fun and enhance fellowship among wing leadership. Finally, base personnel paid tribute to Staff Sgt. John Self, from Pontotoc, Miss., who was stationed at Little Rock AFB, Ark., who had been killed in Iraq. BLAZE Team members lined the streets and rendered a salute as the motorcade passed by.
The first ever education census was conducted in June. The census gave base leaders a way to determine where children of base employees lived and attended school and parent satisfaction with those schools. Aviation artist, Keith Ferris, visited the base to document, through art, the historic significance of the last T-37s in the Air Force inventory. 

Columbus AFB held a "Go 4th" celebration for the base and local community. Attendees enjoyed food, entertainment and children's activities. The event ended with a concert in the sky fireworks extravaganza. 

In early July, a T-1 Jayhawk from the 48th Flying Training Squadron airlifted Ryan McCalip to Pittsburg, Pa., for a liver transplant on a moment's notice. Without their help, the family could not have made the six-hour arrival deadline. Also, for the first time, T-1s from Air Education and Training Command's training bases were invited to participate in the Air Mobility Command rodeo as exhibition teams. The rodeo challenged aircrews from all over the world in every aspect of their aircraft's mission. 

The week of Sept. 17 through 21 kicked off the base's 60/65 heritage celebration. The week's events included a senior leader/command chief reunion with various community members hosting a barbecue, a golf outing and a boat tour. Reunion attendees had a chance to make new friends and rekindle friendships from their time at Columbus. During the POW/MIA retreat, streets were renamed after Staff Sgt. Rufus Ward, Col. Roger Pryor and Capt. George Lockhart. The highlight of the week was the renaming of the base theater to Kaye Auditorium after Capt. Sam Kaye, a World War I pilot from Columbus, Miss. More than 400 people attended the Air Force Ball, which culminated the week's festivities. General William R. Looney III, AETC commander, was the keynote speaker. 

In October, the base welcomed Pinnacle-Hunt Communities LLC as the new housing privatization contractor. Knowing the ORI is just around the corner, kick off briefings were held for all personnel at Kaye Auditorium. 

Regretfully, the base experienced a mid-air collision of two T-6 Texans during a training mission in late November. Luckily, all four pilots ejected safely. The Veteran's Day remembrance honored Capt. Douglas Bradt, Maj. William Downs, Col. Glynn Shumake and Col. Carlyle "Smitty" Harris by renaming streets after them. The Ceremonial Plaza was renamed after Lt. Col. Richard "Gene" Smith. 

The tree lighting ceremony on Dec. 3 kicked off the holiday season. Ryan McCalip was selected to flip the switch, which illuminated the base Christmas tree. 

These events are only a snapshot of everything the 14th FTW has accomplished over the past year. In addition, as many as 63 personnel were deployed to various parts of the world supporting the Global War on Terror. The 14th FTW finished its flying hour program by completing 90,205 flying hours and 64,198 sorties. We graduated 326 new Air Force pilots, as well as 14 pilots from allied nations and 11 pilots under the Aviation Leadership Program. The 14th Operations Support Squadron, 37th Flying Training Squadron, 41st Flying Training Squadron, 50th Flying Training Squadron, 14th Mission Support Group, 14th Security Forces Squadron and 14th Contracting Squadron all had change of commands. 

Individuals and base units were also honored by winning numerous awards. The Chapel won the AETC Outstanding Chaplain Service Team for a small chapel organization, and 14th Civil Engineer Squadron won the AETC Concept Design Award for the MSG Complex and Interior Design Award for the Montgomery Village common area. The Medical Group was named the AETC Medical Group of the Year, and they also earned an Excellent on their Health Services Inspection. Contracting won five awards for outstanding professionalism by individuals and as a unit. 

Numerous construction projects were either completed or started during the year.
In July, the ribbon cutting was held for the new, $8.6 million fire station, which replaced a 1950s era building. The ground breaking for Phase I of the $8.75 million Mission Support Group complex was also held. The building will be the first building built at Columbus with the "Showcase of the South" theme. The renovation of Kaye Auditorium was completed and contractors began the task of replacing the overhead utilities with underground utilities. New street lights are being installed, which also have a southern heritage theme. 

As we say goodbye to 2007 and greet 2008, Blaze team members can be assured it will be an exciting and challenging year.