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Show SwppUmM to tk Hilltop AIR FORCE RESERVE Tummt J. U, Iff) JQ ff i 4 1 ' 1A i, A-- . AV 1 Mil! J1 1 ' V 1 I 'AN- '- ; t :' ' .. - ' ruA - x - -- ' ! A i , mm i 1 ft - w . t I M . ' ML , U S Air force Photos by Brute TSg Hills That suits me just fine Capts. Dave Slack and Dave Lint, Tinker AFB, Okla., suit up during a recent deployment at NAS Miramar near San Diego. V if i I ' i 'j i Tfl J f 1 Here's looking at you SrA. Sean TSgt. Bill Nelson, 465th Tactical Fighter Squadron life support technicians, Tinker AFB, Okla., clean d Boyles-an- helmet visors. Off we go A crew chief accompanies a 465th TFS pilot as they prepare for another mission. Okie Ravens f y and fight as strong 'speaK Editor's note: This is a special series 419th Tactical Fighter rated flying unit at Tinker Hill AFB is only people total population: s combined at Hill; Tinker. on the Wing' 's one-thir- d F-16- geographically sepaAFB, Okla. The 419th at of the wing's assets and 4,100 reservists and 72 Luke AFB, Ariz.; and by 1st Lt. Rich Curry 507th TFG Public Affairs Office, Tinker AFB, Okla. Professionalism. Pride. Performance. These words aptly apply when describing the men and women of the 465th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The 465th TFS is the flying arm of the 507th Tactical Fighter Group, and is the when talking about the unit's wartime capability. Air It is one of 11 Tactical Air Command-gaine419th the Force Reserve flying units assigned to Tactical Fighter Wing at Hill AFB. The 465th was activated on May 20, 1972, at Tinker AFB, Okla. The unit's history goes back to Oct. 5, 1944. While its total wartime service ran only 19 months, the unit received a Distinguished Unit point-of-the-spe- ar d Theater. After its Citation in the Asiatic-Pacifi- c deactivation in 1946, the unit again saw active duty from 1955 to 1961 at Kinross AFB, Mich. On May 4, 1972, it was activated in the Air Force Thunder-chiefs- . 'Reserve and was equipped with In doing so, the 465th became the first the fighter aircraft operaAFRES unit to absence. tions, after a Phantom In 1980, the unit converted to the convert to unit AFRES and in 1989 was the third F-1- re-ent- 20-ye- 05 er ar F-4- D to the F-16- A Fighting Falcon. Currently, the unit is authorized 26 aircraft. Some of the pilots assigned to the fighter squad- ron are combat veterans. As civilians, most are employed by airlines. As reservists, they are required to fly the same requirements as their active-dutcounterparts to remain proficient and combat ready. The 465th is authorized 97 officers and enlisted members. Aside from the pilots, also assigned to the squadron are life support, intelligence, plans, command post and safety personnel. One such member is MSgt. Cody Smith, 465th safety technician. "One of the impressive points about our conversion from the F-- 4 Phantom to the Falcon is that we made the conversion without a Class A mishap that involves either the loss of an aircraft, loss of life or damages in excess of a million dollars. Statistically speaking, the odds are stacked highly against a unit going through a conversion. The fact that we've made it for two years now, I think, speaks highly of the total team effort. Everyone takes safety seriously." Helping the 465th pilots' "razor edge" is where SSgt. Jim Hunt of the weapons and tactics section comes in. "When a pilot prepares for a mission, he knows what types of skills he's going to need. But he also needs to know after the flight how effective he was. That's where we step in," he said. To help pilots check their progress, the section analyzes gun camera video tapes made during a mission and uses a computer program to track scores. By analyzing the video, the office members can determine who got a "kill" or got "killed." y F-1- 6 Sergeant Hunt said they track every mission, and against evaluating performance in other types of aircraft as well as individual range air-to-a- ir scores. "Defense is just as important as offense," he said. By producing an overall training record, a pilot can look at his own personal record and see what areas need improvement or what types of missions need to be flown to stay current. "It really helps build a competitive spirit while training to fight and win," Sergeant Hunt said. Keeping the Oklahoma pilots abreast of the changing world situation falls to the staff of the intelligence section. "We brief the pilots about events. Keepthem informed about what's ing happening, I befocus-owho their potential lieve, helps our pilots adversaries are and the weapon systems he may have to fly against should we be mobilized," said MSgt. Steve MacDonald, intelligence noncommissioned officer. Squadron commander, Lt. Col. Hugh "Bugs" said the diversity of backgrounds helps the squadron training remain aggressive. "We have people with backgrounds ranging from Lt. Col. Jim 'Digger' Feighny, newly selected colonel and deputy commander for operations, who is a combat veteran with a MiG-kil- l to his record, to 2nd Lt. Mark Case, an honor graduate of his training unit," he said. like By helping each other come to know the the backs of their hands and what it takes to fight and win, the 465th TFS is proving it intends to keep its spear razor sharp. real-worl- d For-syth- e, F-1- 6 F-1- 6 |