B-52 Pilot Shares Experience, Contributions

Defend America News ^ | Master Sgt. Scott King

[SandRat]

U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrea Jensen, 40th Expeditionary Group B-52 pilot, performs pre-flight checks in a B-52 Stratofortress. Jensen has accumulated 100 combat flying hours providing close air support for troops on the ground in Afghanistan in the B-52. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer
U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrea Jensen
B-52 Pilot Shares Experience, Contributions
By Master Sgt. Scott King 40th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, March 20, 2006 — She follows Air Force history – through her family’s footsteps. Her dad, and his brother and sisters grew up in an Air Force family, having nothing but great things to say about the way of life the Air Force had to offer. Maj. Andrea Jensen, a forward deployed B-52 pilot with the 40th Air Expeditionary Group, said she has had a love of planes since she can remember. On her first assignment as a second lieutenant, she decided to turn that love of planes into reality while she was at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. “I was working as project engineer, for what is now the Air Force Research Lab, at Edwards,” she said. “When I got the chance, I would step outside and watch all the flying activity. I especially enjoyed watching the SR-71 and the C-17 – that’s when I decided to trade my lab job for a career in the cockpit.” The native of Minnesota earned her pilot’s license while in high school, but thought at the time it would always be a hobby. Now, she has accumulated more than 100 combat hours flying the Stratofortress above the skies of Afghanistan. “This is the first time I’ve been able to apply my skills as a pilot in a combat environment,” Jensen said. “Providing close air support for our U.S. and coalition ground troops using the B-52 platform allows our ground forces to get some sleep at night – our presence in the air is vital for their sustainment and well being.” Her schooling has been her stepping-stone into the B-52. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was commissioned from the Air Force ROTC program in 1995. While at Edwards, she applied for pilot training, was accepted, and graduated from Laughlin Air Force Base’s, Texas Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1999.	Her first assignment as a pilot was at Laughlin where she flew as a T-37 instructor pilot. Following her assignment there, she moved on to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and attended B-52 Initial Qualification Training. In May 2004 she graduated as an aircraft commander, and joined the 20th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale. With relatively short time in the B-52, about two years, Jensen said she feels her role as a pilot supporting Operation Enduring Freedom pays dividends through deterrence. “Our task is different from day-to-day over Afghanistan,” she said. “At times, we are asked by the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers on the ground, to provide a show of force by coming in low and dropping flares. Other times, when requested, we actually drop bombs – either way, we always have successful effects against the enemy. “The controllers are extremely professional at what they do,” she added. “They bring a calm demeanor, in the midst of chaotic conditions on the ground. Up in the air, we’re pretty far removed from what’s happening on the ground – I’m just happy we can assist when our forces are in harms way.” The role and history of women in the Air Force is both impressive and extensive. Jensen said she hopes to make her mark in this history. “From my perspective, it’s easy to take the role of women in the military for granted,” she said. “More than a decade has passed since women first flew in combat. I really appreciate all the contributions women have made over the years that got us where we are today. Women don’t yet have complete equality in all facets of military operations, and I don’t know if we’ll ever truly reach completely equitable conditions. But from my perspective, being a successful officer and pilot is not about being male or female – it’s about doing your job as best you can.”

[SandRat]

PING

[boomop1]

Pass

[Last Dakotan]

Do they write any articles about men in the military anymore?

[A.A. Cunningham]

I'll bet she hears a lot of Kelly Flinn jokes.

[Thebaddog]

She's an MIT grad. And from an Air Force family. There's some men in there somewhere helping her out along the way and we can all be proud of her and her family.

[JOE43270]

This ia a great that you put this on SandRat. BUFF will take care of her and she better take good care of BUFF. I was stationed at Edwards and I worked on 008 that was the BUFF that was in the beginning of the show The Six Million Dollar Man. My son is Navy though I call him BUFF since he was little and I have a picture someplace that he was holding the Fire extinguisher in front of 008. He was born at Edwards. 008 never flew in combat though all the rest are why they are still going today, and he carried alot of other research into the air that keep our guys airborne today. God Bless Major Andrea and BUFF will bring her home.

[fso301]

I wanna see video clips of B-52 carpet bombing and I wanna see them now!!

[Last Dakotan]

I really appreciate all the contributions women have made over the years that got us where we are today.

vs.

There's some men in there somewhere helping her out along the way....

Well, at least you are willing to at least acknowledge them.

[StarCMC]

BTTT

[Spruce]

Just another one of those 'uneducated' kids in the military. May seem hard to believe, but we DO manage to turn-out some great folk up here, in Minnesota.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT