Tag Archives: Colorado Springs CO

Daedalians Hear From F-16 Fighter Pilot About AF Careers

Major Mat “Sled” Park, a combat-experienced F-16 Viper fighter pilot, now an instructor at Holloman AFB, in NM, spoke to the Flight 24 Daedalians of El Paso, Texas, about the current life of an Air Force fighter pilot, and of the possible future of his profession as we begin our merge into the 6th Generation of U. S. Fighter aircraft.  He also extolled the exciting and rewarding life of both a fighter pilot – – – and a career in the USAF.  Almost uniquely, it happens that “Sled’s” wife, Danielle, is also an F-16 Viper instructor pilot at Holloman.  They met while on duty in Japan, married, and now have two children.  The Air Force arranges for them to serve together.

Colonel Mario Campos

Here’s Major Park’s story, told by Daedalian Flight Captain, Colonel Mario Campos – at left. (All members of the Flight 24 are also long-time members of the FASF):

Maj Mathew “Sled” Park grew up in Phoenix, Arizona with his two brothers. His father served as an F-16 pilot for 20 years and his mother put up with their video games, fights, and affinity for getting into trouble. He often went on long backpacking or motorcycle trips with his brothers, exploring the varied terrain of the Southwestern United States.

 

       Maj. “SLED” Park

Sled went to the USAF Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado in 2007 where he dreamed of becoming a fighter pilot . . . until the Air Force determined he was not medically qualified to fly fighter planes. Disheartened but not defeated, he elected to learn Russian and major in Eastern European geopolitical studies in order to work as an intelligence officer in the USAF and eventually at the state department. A last-minute Hail Mary waiver allowed him to attend UPT at Sheppard AFB, TX where he tracked his first choice (F-16s) in 2012.

After graduating from UPT and IFF in 2013, he went to Luke AFB, Arizona, and graduated from the F-16B course at the 309th Fighter Squadron (QQMF), which was coincidentally the same fighter squadron from which his father had retired. His first assignment took him to Misawa, Japan, home of the PACAF Wild Weasel Block 50 F-16s. He deployed in 2015 as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, where he flew 376 combat hours in support of friendly troops and experienced firsthand the atrocities committed by ISIS on the people of Iraq, Kurdistan, and Syria.

He returned to Misawa, completed the Flight Lead Program, went on way too many TDYs and exercises across the PACAF theater, and eventually returned to the United States to learn to become an instructor pilot at Holloman AFB, NM.  It was there that he married his wife, Major Danielle Park, USAF, also an F-16 pilot, but not a better one, (if you ever ask him). The couple quickly had two children and transferred to the USAF Reserves as a full-time instructor pilot after 5 years on active duty in the Regular Air Force in New Mexico.

Sled and his wife (below photo on a mountainside) live in the mountain resort town of Cloudcraft, NM, and primarily spend their time exploring the state with their children and dogs on various camping, climbing, sailing, and hiking trips.

                                                       Sled and Danielle love mountain climbing

Sled and his wife were recently hired by the Air National Guard (ANG) in January of 2023 and intend to move to the Midwest, where they will continue to fly SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses) missions and assist their unit with regular alert responsibilities.

Getting things set up for the meeting: L to R: Col. Alan Fisher, and Sled Park chatting with Connie Sullivan

Flight Captain Colonel Mario Campos sets the Daedalian Shield up for the gathering.

Newly retired Flight Captain Col. Alan Fisher delivered the Daedalipan Flight’s Shield for display at the meeting.

Colonel Bob Pitt was interrupted for the photo shoot while talking with Connie Sullivan at his right.  In the background are Colonel Campos speaking with Major “SLED” Park, the meeting’s guest speaker.

L to R: Foreground: Col Mario Campos, Connie Sullivan, Virg Hemphill, and Roger Springstead, in the rear with backs to the camera are: Ulla Rice, Major Park, Col. Fisher, and AFROTC students  Adam Hernandez, Maximilian Rothblatt – – – at the rear, facing camera: Jerry Dixon, Cliff Bossie, Judy Campos, Melissa Fisher, AFROTC students,
Jorge Villalobos
and Lyn Salas

L to R: Cols Bob Pitt and Mario Campos

Colonel Campos introduces the guest speaker, Major Mat “SLED” Park

Colonel Campos presents Major Park with his token of the Flight’s appreciation.

(L to R) Col. Mario Campos, Adam Hernandez, Maximilian Rothblatt, Jorge Villalobos, Lyn Salas, Maj. Mat ‘Sled’ Park, and Ric Lambart Photo by  Col. Alan Fisher

 

 

 

FLY LIKE A GIRL! USAF Academy Magazine Story about ‘FIRST’

Another coincidence:  This time about our last post concerning USAF Fighter Pilot Captain Melaine “First” Valentin, the Daedalian Society’s Top Leadership awardee of the September 2022 314th Fighter Squadron Graduating Class at Holloman AFB, NM.

Considering the size of the USAF, as an amazing coincidence, almost simultaneously, just as we posted her story, the Air Force Academy‘s prestigious Quarterly Magazine for its Alumni Organization, CHECKPOINTS, also printed a parallel feature story about “First” Valentin.

Here, below, is the cover of that issue: (We found out about this coincidence from Col. Alan Fisher, an AF Academy graduate and regular reader of CHECKPOINTS, who excitedly informed your webmaster, that “FIRST” had also just been featured in a distinguished graduate story the same month she was awarded the top LEADER award in her graduating Fighter Class at Holloman.  When the Academy CHECKPOINTS staff wrote the article, they didn’t know anything about Captain Valentin’s Leadership award ceremony – nor did we know about their story.

Cover of September 2022 CHECKPOINTS – photo of Cadet 3rd Class Lydia Cella in Combat Survival Training Program

Through the good efforts of two Air Force Academy fellow graduates and long-time FASF members, Alan Fisher and Wes Baker, we were led to the magazine’s Managing Editor, Jeff Holmquist, who gave us the OK to reprint their “First” story.  Without further ado, here it is:

[TO VIEW THIS PDF COPY SIMPLY EITHER USE THE “+” SIGN IN THE TOOLBOX AT THE BOTTOM OF THE VIEW YOU SEE OR CLICK ON THE SMALL POPOUT ICON () YOU SEE IN THE UPPER RIGHT-HAND CORNER OF THE VIEWER, WHICH WILL PUT THE PDF INTO YOUR BROWSER FOR VIEWING. OF COURSE, THE THE SCROLLBARS ARE USED IN THE NORMAL WAY]

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Now let’s look at a short (3:57) video of “First,” one also produced by “CHECKPOINTS” and get a look at how Captain Valentin uses her non-pilot-oriented artistic talents:

[NOTE:  Suggest you click on the “Full Screen” mode button at the lower right of the video for the best high-resolution viewing experience.]