FReeper Canteen ~ Road Trip: Luke Air Force Base, Arizona ~ 23 DEC 2014

Serving The Best Troops And Veterans In The World!! | The Canteen Crew

[laurenmarlowe]

 

 

~The FReeper Canteen Presents~

Road Trip: Luke Air Force Base, Arizona

Luke Air Force Base is a United States Air Force base located seven miles west of the central business district of Glendale, in Maricopa County, Arizona. It is also about 15 miles west of Phoenix, Arizona. Luke AFB is a major training base of the Air Education and Training Command, training pilots in the F-16 Fighting Falcon.

The 56th Fighter Wing is the host unit at Luke. It is part of Air Education and Training Command. The wing is composed of four groups of 27 squadrons, including eight fighter squadrons. There are several tenant units on base, including the 944th Fighter Wing, assigned to 10th Air Force and the Air Force Reserve.

The base population includes about 7,500 military members and 15,000 family members. With about 80,000 retired military members living in greater Phoenix, the base services a total population of more than 100,000.

The mission at Luke Air Force Base is to train the world's greatest F-16 fighter pilots and maintainers, while deploying mission ready warfighters. The 56th Fighter Wing, one of the most highly decorated aviation units in history, traced its history to the 56th Pursuit Group which first activated Jan. 15, 1941, at Savannah Air Base, Georgia.

Today, the 56th Fighter Wing, a unit which historically has proven to have fighter pilots second to none, continues a mission that has been identified with Luke AFB since 1941: "Training Fighter Pilots Second to None."

The F-16 is the world's premier multi-role fighter; the product of high-end technology and inputs from fighter pilots the world over. It emphasizes flight performance--range, speed, payload, endurance and maneuverability--in the heart of the flight envelope where air combat occurs.

The F-16 introduced many very successful technologies, such as fly-by-wire and relaxed static stability, which gives it a quantum leap in capability over other fighters and still makes it a fierce competitor today.

It has the range, payload, agility, and systems required to reach, locate, and destroy its targets as well as the survivability and sortie rates to return to the fight again and again. 

But the heart of the aircraft lies not in the cold hard metal frame or superior technology--it can be found in the everyday men and women that fly this outstanding machine every day. The students who are training to fly one of the world's most advanced and capable aircraft receive some of the most realistic training available at Luke Air Force Base. They go through a structured syllabus totaling over 265 hours of classroom training, 55 hours of simulator and 80 hours of flight time.

Luke Air Force Base trains more than 470 F-16 pilots per year, and takes pride in each one of them. It is a process which develops well trained pilots that will go on to their first operational assignment ready for the fight.

Learn More About Luke Air Force Base Here!

FR CANTEEN MISSION STATEMENT~Showing support and boosting the morale of our military and our allies military and the family members of the above. Honoring those who have served before. 

Please remember: The Canteen is a place to honor and entertain our troops. The Canteen is family friendly. Let's have fun!

We pray for your continued strength, to be strong in the face of adversity.

We pray for your safety, that you will return to your families and friends soon.

We pray that your hope, courage, and dignity remain unbroken, so that you may show others the way.

God Bless You All ~ Today, Tomorrow and Always

 

 

[PROCON]

Anyone know what the different colored flight wing patches denote on the flight suits of the female aviators pictured?

[PROCON]

Please see post #21.

[luvie]

Good evening, Lauren! (((hugs)))

Great road trip! We must see some
of these next time we're there!

Hope you and your family have a great one!

[KC Burke]

The pilots that are already trained pilots are sent from various units to Luke to qualify on the F-16 and most return to their own wing at another base. I think those are the colors for their own unit with their name. Perhaps it is Captain J. T. “Rocky” Stewart, with a wing designation patch. I will look at a few this week and give you the specifics.

Besides training the pilots they will also train maintenance crews for the new F-35 so there are a lot of in and out people going through Luke for short assignments. Elgin has handled a lot but beginning in a few months, Luke will begin the swing up as the ATC goes on line. One SOF is already operational and a second will be in a month or so.

[luvie]

Oooo...I love air shows!

[MeekMom]

You have mail. <3

[The Mayor]

Evenin! I have been watching Joe Cocker on You Tube.
He died today at 70, he filled my life with music.
From Woodstock till even today, R.I.P. Joe Cocker

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Ms Feather...*hugs*

Lauren has her son, DIL, and grands visiting. She’s a happy grandma.

[luvie]

Got it! So do you! :)

[Nateman]

This picture is actually the Arizona capital buildings near downtown Phoenix.

[MeekMom]

btw Lovey, I love your tagline!
I agree!
Heroes often wear camo!

Love you sweet pea!

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo
:)

[E.G.C.]

A very pleasant good Tuesday morning to everyone at the Canteen and to all our military at home and abroad. Thanks for your service to our country.

((HUGS))Good morning, Ladies. Thanks for this morning's thread, Lauren. How's it going?

[left that other site]

I’m slippin’.

Used to be Second!

[luvie]

Thank you! I do love those guys and galz who keep us safe and free!

[left that other site]

This week is devoid of lessons, as all the kids have made the mass exodus to Disney (shudder) as there are special rates for FL citizens this and next week. One of my vocal students is actually SINGING in the candlelight program at Epcot. I wanted to go up and hear him, but it’s a four hour drive and $100.00 to get in. Oh Well, I get to hear him every week at his lesson! LOL!

And, even with air in the tires, Orlando is a LONG drive alone.

[luvie]

Goood Morning, Canteen!
Hope this night before the night before
is an easy one for y'all!
Maybe you're already off for the holiday!
That would be great!
(((hugs)))

[left that other site]

My Goodness, You are up early!

[luvie]

It’s my early day. :)

The good part is that I’ll be leaving when the line starts getting really long and tempers start flaring. LOL!

[left that other site]

Indeed...traffic can get pretty ugly this time of year!

[E.G.C.]

((HUGS))Good morning, LUV W. How’s it going?