The 95th Fighter Squadron and Aircraft Maintenance Unit will again call Tyndall home as officials announced the recent F-22 Raptor squadron activated Oct. 11.
“We are honored to have the 95th call Tyndall home again,” said Col. David E. Graff, 325th Fighter Wing Commander. “It symbolizes most to both our local people and armed forces history.”
The 95th called Tyndall home for 3 decades with their mascot, Mr. Bones, a skeleton with a top hat and cane, adorning the unit patch.
“I feel very fortunate to bring the 95th and Mr. Bones back home to Tyndall,” said Lt. Col. Erick Gilbert, current 325th program integration chief and shortly-to-be 95th Fighter Squadron commander.
From September 1974 to December 2010, the squadron trained thousands of fighter/interceptor pilots and weapons controllers using the T-33 Shooting Star and F-15E Strike Eagle. The squadron was the last of the 3 F-15 squadrons to be inactivated at Tyndall as a result of its significant local history, but in addition as a result of its significant contributions during World War II leading to 199 aerial victories, the destruction of greater than 400 strategic targets and ultimately being awarded the celebrated Unit Citation.
The unit activated during a ceremony Oct. 11 to organize for the transfer of 24 F-22s and greater than 1,100 positions to the bottom. The squadron has started receiving a mean of fifty to 60 personnel per 30 days and may continue to take action for the following several months.
Once reaching its initial operating capability, the squadron might be able to deploying probably the most advanced aircraft on the planet right into a combat area of responsibility.
“We are charged to project power to wherever needed in support of our national military objectives,” Gilbert said.
The additional F-22s bring the whole variety of the 5th generation fighters to greater than 50 at Tyndall. That’s the most important contingent of F-22s at one location.Gilbert recognizes the activation as a significant opportunity for Airmen to interact in both maintenance and operational areas to enhance daily practices and “sharpen the sword.”
“We will interact as a team, both maintenance and operations from both the 95th and the 43rd Fighter Squadrons and aircraft maintenance units to raised train F-22 pilots and get ready them for combat operations,” Gilbert said.
Aircraft for the brand new squadron will start arriving in early 2014; however, opening the 95th FS for business early enables the bed down of the influx of personnel and helps establish the critical road map to combat capability, said base leadership.
“We have a gigantic challenge prior to us, but we’re greater than equipped to deal with anything that stands in our way of bringing the 95th back to Bay County,” Gilbert said.
The F-22 arrived at Tyndall 10 years ago with the mission of educating pilots at the first fifth generation air dominance platform. The hot squadron’s arrival, which was years within the making, will take Tyndall air power directly right into a combat role.
“There is a major responsibility of living as much as the legend established by the heroic acts of the former WWII-era Airmen when considering the past actions of the 95th,” Gilbert said. “There is a ton of local heritage. It’s incredibly exciting to reactivate the 95th resulting from its rich history of flying T-33s and the mighty F-15 locally for thus a long time. There couldn’t be an even bigger following than that of Mr. Bones and the 95th FS. The recent combat F-22 mission only adds to the legacy.”
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