Airman swaps stripes for wings

Airman swaps stripes for wings

(EXCERPT) by Susan Griggs 81st Training Wing Public Affairs

8/4/2003 - KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFPN) -- Less than two years
ago, Staff Sgt. Jerry Bennett raised his eyes to the sky as a weather
forecasting instructor. Today, he takes to the sky as an Air Force
pilot.

On Aug. 8, the second lieutenant will complete three weeks of C-21
training with the 45th Airlift Squadron, just blocks away from the
weather training facility here where he taught from March 2000 to
October 2001.

"When Jerry first approached us in the schoolhouse as a 28-year-old
staff sergeant weather instructor and stated that what he really
wanted to do was fly, I'll admit there was a little skepticism that
the Air Force would support him at that stage in his career," said
Maj. Thomas Lyga, 335th Training Squadron commander.

"However, he had a dream, he was determined, and by the way, he turned
out to be very good at that pilot thing," Lyga added. "He's a true Air
Force success story, and I couldn't be more proud of him."

"Over the years, I briefed a lot of pilots, and before long, I aspired
to be on...

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The American War Library
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