Meet Your Military: Making Falcons Fly

Making Falcons Fly Air Force Master Sgt. Patrick McKenna loves being able to work with his hands. He’s been doing just that for the Air Force for the past 13 years while serving as a crew chief for F-16 Fighting Falcon jets.

This is his story.

What do you remember about your first day working with the aircraft?
“I had never seen a fighter aircraft in person before and I remember the first day that our class walked into the hanger and you have an F-15 and an F-16 staring at you. It was pretty surreal to know that’s what I would be working on every day.”

U.S. Marine Pilot Becomes a Part of Aviation History

For the first time in eight years, fighter jets flew from the decks of a British aircraft carrier.
Royal Navy Cdr. Nathan Gray, 41, makes the first-ever F-35B Lightning II jet take off from HMS Queen Elizabeth.
Photo: Lt. Cdr. Lindsey Waudby, Royal Navy

For 11 weeks, Marine Corps Maj. Michael Lippert, an F-35B test pilot, and three British pilots will test the performance of the F-35B Lightning II on the deck of the HMS Queen Elizabeth, the United Kingdom’s newest and largest aircraft carrier. Lippert was selected to be a part of this mission based off his position as the Marine Corps’ F-35B ship suitability project officer and his previous shipboard operational experience as a Harrier pilot.

Like Riding Horses on the Beach? These Airmen Do It for a Living

Air Force Staff Sgt. Zechariah Landa and Senior Airman Michael Terrazas trot along the beach on the unit’s working horses.

By Katie Lange, Department of Defense

Imagine clomping over acres of rugged land that can only be accessed by the horse who’s carrying you. Occasionally you might see the ocean or even an all-terrain vehicle, but for the most part, it’s just you, your horse and the land.

Not a lot of service members get to experience that, but the members of Vandenberg Air Force Base’s Working Horse Patrol call it their job.

“It’s the last military working horse patrol unit in the entire Department of Defense,” said Air Force Staff Sgt. Zechariah Landa, the patrol’s noncommissioned officer in charge.

Meet Your Military: In unique mission, Soldiers give identity back to fallen troops

Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Owen, a morgue NCOIC for the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, examines personal effects that potentially belong to fallen service members inside a laboratory at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, March 12, 2018. (Photo Credit: U.S. Army photo by Sean Kimmons)

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii -- When her duty day is over, Sgt. 1st Class Jennifer Owen often reflects on if she did enough to help identify fallen service members.

As the morgue noncommissioned officer in charge at the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency, which is tasked to account for more than 82,000 Americans still missing from past conflicts, she analyzes human remains and personal effects in hopes to close a cold case.

Meet Your Military: Reasons Why It’s Cool to Be A Military Kid

Ava and Sierra, daughters of Staff Sgt. Andrew Stevens, embrace each other on Fort Meade, Md. U.S. Photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.

July 31, 2018 | By DoD’s Katie Lange

Military children endure unique challenges — saying goodbye to deployed parents, moving often, changing schools, making new friends frequently and adapting constantly. For that, they deserve our respect and admiration.
To show your support, everyone is encouraged to wear purple Wednesday as part of the annual Purple Up! campaign, which gives thanks to military kids for their strength and sacrifice.

Share the walk and buy Dr. School's insoles at Walmart.

Watch on YouTubeThis July, imagine walking in the shoes of an American Soldier.
When you try to understand the sacrifice our soldiers make, you can see why supporting America's Troops is so important.
This July, share the walk by visiting a Walmart store and buying Dr. School's insoles.
For every sale over $10, Bayer will donate $1 to SupportOurTroops.Org !

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