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Show AIR FORCE RESERVE HEADS UP A Nov. 17, 1989 40 'Crew Chief' Takes 'Top Gun y P01)Slnjnk(i SBuSl'SJS by TSgt. Bruce Hills 419th TFW Public Affairs Office pilot Capt. Patrick Shay of the 944th Tactical Fighter Group at Luke AFB, Ariz., won Top Gun award in this year's Air Force worldwide gunnery meet at Nellis AFB, Nev. The 169th Tactical Fighter Group of McEntire Air National Guard Base, S.Ci, took the overall Top Team awards for Gunsmoke '89. The 944th, part of the 419th Tactical Fighter Wing, received the Top Crelv Chief award and the F-1- 6 Gun-smoke- '.....y-.'-- 's HfrV Illlfll : Supplement to th Hilltop Times Overall Weapons Load Team award. It also earned the Top Maintenance Team award with a perfect 1,000-poin- t score during four of the six days in competition. ; More than 1,000 people from bases around the world participated in Gunsmoke '89. The competition is used to demonstrate the skills of air and mission. ground crews in the The overall Top Team and Top Gun awards are given for the team and pilot with the highest total score from the contest, which requires aircrews to demonstrate skills in strafing, bombing and navi; gation. "It hasn't quite sunk in," Captain Shay said of his Top Gun honor after the competition was over. "You really don't think about shooting for Top Gun as much as concentrating on the contribution you are making for the team. When the 86th Tactical Fighter wing from Ramstein scored so many points early in the competition, we were primarily concerned with trying to catch them." Captain Shay gave a lot of the credit for his win to the maintenance crews and the job they did in fine tuning his jet. "I knew where a bomb was going to go within five meters when it dropped. "It's like playing your first high school football game-w- ith your adrenalin pumping," he said after his final Gunsmoke flight. The pilot, a 1977 Air Force Academy graduate with 2,000 flying hours, is a flight engineer for American Airlines. Top crew chief in the Gunsmoke competition is SSgt. Joedy D. Pack, 26, of the 944th TFG, a native of West Virginia who spent four years on active duty with the Air Force and joined the Air Force Reserve as an air reserve technician in April air-to-grou- nd ' and happy as I can be," he said. The top crew chief, who is unmarried, said he has. always liked mechanics and enjoys motorcycling; and motocross racing as a hobby. His other interests include softball and basketball. "I thought a lot about going to college when I graduated from Wheeling Park High School in Virginia in 1981, but I decided to look for a career in the world of work instead. I'd always enjoyed mechanics and working with cars and I was fascinated by airplanes, and the Air Force seemed like just the place to be. I've never been6 sorry." and would He said he has never ridden in an enjoy a ride someday, "but keeping them running is plenty of challenge and a lot of fun." Sergeant Pack credited his assistant, SSgt. Julie McCasland, who is also an ART, for his top award. "She works in the communications shop and I owe her a lot for my success." F-1- 34-year-o- ld 1987. New Air Force Top Gun, Capt. Patrick Shay Sergeant Pack said aircraft appearance professionalism and military bearing were a few of the criteria upon which he was judged in the competition. He said he had won two top crew chief awards in turkey shoots when he was on active duty with the 310th Air Munitions Unit, 58th Aircraft Generation Squadron at Luke, "but this is by far the greatest thing to ever happen to me. I'm as excited U.S. Air Force Photos Top crew chief SSgt. Joedy Pack Colonel Hall tapped for Luke AFB leadership DDiinnini(dlbi(sk The 419th Tactical Fighter Wing commander, Brig. Gen. F.S. recently announced the selection of Lt, Col. Richard L. Hall as commander, 944th Tactical Fighter GroupLuke AFB, Ariz. Colonel Hall relinquishes command; of the 466th Tactical Fighter SquadWirie-barge- ron here. r, General Winebarger introduced the new commander to the Arizona unit on Oct. 30. . sCnedl skoim tf Colonel Hall has been assigned to the Hill Reserve unit since the 1973 modernization of fighter aircraft into the Air Force Reserve inventory. He has been a member of the 419th TFW senior management team since his Air Reserve Technician selection in 1977. The Luke AFB and Tinker AFB, Okla., units are geographically separated from the 419th TFW; together the three locations comprise the wing's 72 6 Fighting Falcons. Ar5zinii ditd it 71 mwmmwm 'It 5te ft t P MwiaJcd& r ? t r F-1- Native: Salt Lake City, Utah i Age: 48 Education: Bachelor's degree in business, Utah State University, 1964 Officer training: Officer Training School, 1967 Pilot training: Reese AFB, Texas, 1968 Flying time: 5,500 hours Last active duty assignment: McConnell AFB, Kan., 1973 First AFR assignment: 508th Tactical Fighter Group, Hill AFB, Utah. e Maintained status as Reservist for four years before joining the Air Reserve Technician Program in 1977. Leadership roles: Commander, 419th Consolidated Aircraft Maintenance Squadron; 419th deputy commander for Maintenance; commander, 466th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Decorations: Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with four devices. Family: Married to former Patricia Lunt.,Three daughters: Amy, Kelly and Erin. r:'' ) " 1 , full-tim- T Lt. Col. Richard Hall... ...old piamondback... new Red Devil One... commander, 944th Tactical Fighter GrouD. Luke AFB. Ariz. 3 headsCIptho 419th Tactical Fighter Wing Public AfEditorial content is dittd, and provided by fairs Office. DEADLINE for submission of articles is 10 working days before each scheduled wing line. on a unit training assembly. Articles should be typed, double-space- d Affairs Office, For more information, call the 419th Public prpard U.S. Air Force Photo by TSgt. Bruce Hills 777-271- 3. Bria. Gen. Forrett S. Winebarger Barbara Ann Vessels Ma. Len Barry TSgt. Bruce Hills Sgt. Anne Yelderman SSgt. Nina Brown 419th TFW STAFF 419th TFW Commander Chief, Public Affairs Public Affairs Officer Editor, NCOIC, Public Affairs Staff Writer ....Administrative Specialist kkfct t MM... ... |