A Year in Review: 2014

  • Published
  • By Dr. Doris Crusoe
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Historian
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  During 2014, the 14th Flying Training Wing BLAZE Team members at Columbus Air Force Base experienced many notable achievements as well as a few challenges.

That said the wing accomplished its primary mission to produce military pilots, during fiscal 2014, as reflected in the successful graduation of 308 Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training students, 15 Aviation Leadership Program students, 22 internationals, and 87 Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals pilots.

As part of the team's mission to Advance Airmen, the First Term Airman Center held seven classes which resulted in 64 graduates, while 30 members completed Airman Leadership School. Additionally, Team BLAZE fed the fight, when the wing successfully deployed 83 personnel to various overseas and stateside assignments, as opposed to 108 the previous year.

Several groups and squadrons welcomed new commanders as the wing also bid farewell to Col. James R. Sears, Jr., and hailed Col. John J. Nichols as the new wing commander. Meanwhile, Command Chief Master Sergeant Rita F. Felton became the wing's newest senior enlisted leader.

On Jan. 14, 2014, the widow of fallen U.S. Air Force reservist instructor pilot, Maj. Blair Faulkner, donated a 1994 Pontiac Firebird to the base. The major died in a T-38 crash while assigned to Columbus AFB. Faulkner donated the car in honor of her late husband's dream to have a vehicle available for those who needed temporary transportation. Local and community members contributed their time and resources to create the vehicle in honor of Major Faulkner.

Later, Columbus Air Force Base closed on Feb. 11 due to a forecast of inclement weather and potentially hazardous road conditions. Then, on Feb. 14, the base community learned that Columbus became the first base in Air Education and Training Command to implement commercial mobile tablets into Department of Defense training. The base was selected as a Beta test site to determine the long- term viability of a mobile tablet based Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training curriculum.

More than a week later, the 14th Security Forces Squadron hosted a law enforcement training seminar which included participation from local law enforcement agencies.  The Defenders designed four training scenarios as a means to aid law enforcement personnel in perfecting their usage of weapons, communication and other security tactics.

During the following month, on March 14, retired Lt. Col. Richard "Gene" Smith, a former Vietnam Prisoner of War, spoke with fellow Columbus Air Force Base Wingman Mark Alexander at the Memorial Wall named in Smith's honor at Columbus AFB. Smith, a POW for five and a half years, was recognized during the graduation ceremony for Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 14-06. The graduation ceremony marked the 41st anniversary of Smith's repatriation.

On March 26 and 27, Gen. Robin Rand, AETC commander, visited Columbus AFB along with Chief Master Sgt. Gerardo Tapia, AETC Command Chief Master Sergeant, on his tour of AETC bases.

On April 5 and 6, Columbus Air Force Base held a Wings over Columbus Heritage to Horizons Open House and Air Show, which hosted base Airmen and the general public. It was the first air show Columbus hosted in four years.

Staff Sgt. Alexander Gordy, Airman 1st Class Kyle Carpenter, Senior Airman Ryan Werner and Staff Sgt. Joshua Keith, 14th Operations Support Squadron Airmen who worked at the Radar Approach Control tower, demonstrated the Air Force Core Value of Service Before Self by saving a drowning man May 26. The incident happened at the Buttahatchee River in Caledonia, Mississippi. 

On July 22, Team BLAZE personnel received a visit from Col. Steve Schaick, Command Chaplain Air Education and Training Command. Four days later, on July 26, when 2nd Lt. Matthew LeCraw graduated Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training, he became the fourth generation of officers and pilots. C. Veazey LeCraw stood with his son retired Lt. Col. Chris LeCraw and his grandson 2nd Lt. Matthew LeCraw at Columbus Air Force Base Smith Plaza.

Team BLAZE honored six of its newest Air Force Senior Non-Commissioned Officers at the SNCO Induction Ceremony held Aug. 7 at the Columbus Club. The Induction Ceremony is a time honored tradition that recognizes Airmen who will make the transition from non-commissioned officer to senior non-commissioned officer.

On Sept. 4-6, seven former wing commanders and two former vice commanders returned to Columbus Air Force Base to help celebrate Class 14-14's graduation.  During this period, on Sept. 5, Gen. Mark Welsh, Air Force Joint Chief of Staff, visited and the wing held the Air Force Birthday Ball at Mallory Hangar on Columbus Air Force Base.

On Sept. 10, Team BLAZE recognized Lt. Col. Douglas Jantzen, 14th Flying Training Wing Chief of Aircraft Maintenance, as the most senior lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Air Force. His familiarization flight aboard a T-6 Texan II, took place on the 40th anniversary of Jantzen's enlistment into the United States Air Force.

On Sept. 24, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force James Cody and his wife, retired Chief Master Sergeant Athena Cody, visited the Airmen and families of Columbus Air Force Base. The wing also accepted an additional pilot training mission on Sept. 26, with the assignment of the 81st Fight Squadron which is located at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, but assigned to the wing's 14th Operation Group.

Columbus AFB held a ribbon cutting ceremony Oct. 2 which marked the completion of Phase I of a two-phase renovation of the 14th Medical Group's Koritz Clinic. The clinic was chosen for renovation to increase efficiency and improve sections of the facility which included the Family Medicine Clinic, Flight Medicine Clinic, Pharmacy, Immunizations and Laboratory.

On Nov. 25, the 14th Force Support Squadron Military Personnel Flight received special recognition when the team earned the No. 1 ranking for Personnel Action Reports at the Air Force level in fiscal 2014. The evaluated areas included form discrepancies, evaluation timeliness, evaluation error rates and Permanent Change of Station error rates.

Dec. 11 marked the activation and Assumption of Command of the 14th Logistic Readiness Squadron. During the ceremony, Col. Kurt Kayser, 14th Mission Support Group Commander, passed the 14th Logistic Readiness Squadron guidon to Maj. Antonio V. Salazar, who assumed command of the newly activated squadron.

The Honorable Deborah Lee James, Secretary of the Air Force, arrived at Columbus Air Force Base Dec. 17 for a two-day visit. During her stay, she toured several squadrons and organizations and met with Airmen and learned their unique capabilities, key initiatives, attributes and missions.

Toward the end of December, the base Chaplain and staff hosted a traditional Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony which took place outside of the wing's headquarters building Dec. 5. Meanwhile, others volunteered to participate in a local outreach program sponsored by the Happy Irby Foundation, a thriving private organization which benefits thousands of adults and children. The Happy Irby Christmas Fund provides clothing and supplies to children in the local schools and community.

Even more, personnel attended Christmas parties and luncheons, finished administrative requirements and made plans to spend some well-deserved time with family and friends.

While December brings to bear the passing of another 12-month period, let us all remember those BLAZE Team members who are no longer with us on Earth. We must also pause and think of those Airmen serving in deployed locations around the world, and reflect upon our many accomplishments which contributed to fulfilling the 14th Flying Training Wing's mission to Produce Pilots, Advance Airmen and Feed the Fight. 

As we journey forward into 2015, I wish our BLAZE Team a most fulfilling and prosperous New Year.