Afghan Officer Earns USAF Wings

American Forces Press Service ^ | American Forces Press Service

[Dubya]

KABUL, June 16, 2009 – The first Afghan officer to train in the United States in nearly 50 years earned his silver Air Force wings in a June 12 ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss.

Col. Roger Watkins, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, presented pilot wings to Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki upon his completion of the Aviation Leadership Program there.

The USAF Aviation Leadership Program is a scholarship for USAF flying training that includes English language training, 25 hours of flight screening in a civil aircraft, such as a Cessna 172, 335 academic and ground training hours and about 167 flight hours and simulator sorties. The USAF flying portion of the program takes about 10 months to complete.

"The ALP program was challenging and difficult" Ramaki said. "Succeeding in the ALP is an accomplishment. While this is a good day for me, it is a great day for my country."

Ramaki will continue his flying training in his next aircraft, the C-27A Spartan. The Afghanistan military expects to receive the first of 20 Italian-built C-27's late this summer.

[Dubya]

Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki, right, receives his U.S. Air Force pilot wings from Air Force Col. Roger Watkins, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, at a June 12, 2009, ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Ramaki is the first Afghan officer to train in the United States in nearly 50 years.

I see he don't have a rag wraped around his head or a beard. Good for him

[Dubya]

Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki celebrates after receiving his U.S. Air Force pilot wings at a June 12, 2009, ceremony at Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Ramaki is the first Afghan officer to train in the United States in nearly 50 years.

[SolidWood]

he don't have a rag wraped around his head or a beard

Would be bad for a pilot./s

Kudos to Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki. He makes Afghanistan honor.

[Popman]

Way to go Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki

[definitelynotaliberal]

Petty alert

Is his behind really that large?!

[Tallguy]

Which one makes General first? The American colonel on the left, or the Afghani Lieutenant on the right?

[NormsRevenge]

Good for him!

a pic of a C-27 Spartan

[SJSAMPLE]

LOL.

So true.

[SunkenCiv]

Lt. Faiz Mohammed Ramaki

[BatGuano]

There was an Afgan student pilot (Officer) training at the base where I was training in 1962-1963. He never did get his wings, washing back from class to class. To send him home would have caused a real embarrassment to him and his country and a State Department problem for us. (Royalty)? I know that he soloed once and that it was such a disaster he was always dual (with an instructor) from then on.

Congratulations Lt. Ramaki!

[G8 Diplomat]

Congrats to Lt. Fayiz...which, btw, means “victor” in Arabic

[DuncanWaring]

Harrumph.

In any rational naming scheme, it would be called a “C-65”.

[SandRat]

FR WAR NEWS!
If you would like to be added to / removed from FRWN,
please FReepmail Sandrat.

WARNING: FRWN can be an EXTREMELY HIGH-VOLUME PING LIST!!

[ketelone]

He looks a bit like Tom Cruise!