Lt. Col. David Dressel on Nov. 21 flew past the 3,000-flying hour mark during a close air support mission over Afghanistan. He expects to reach 500 combat flying hours during his current deployment to Bagram AB, Afghanistan, from the 75th Fighter Squadron at Moody AFB, Ga. Dressel flew his first combat missions during Operation Desert Storm and continued in Operation Southern Watch and in current operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. The 18-year Air Force veteran says: Back home you rate your success on how well you performed. Here, you rate your success on how well the ground guys do. Our success comes down to whether or not the ground commander was able to accomplish his mission.” (Bagram report by SSgt. Rachel Martinez)
The Air Force is placing Air Combat Command in charge of teaching combat tactics to fighter and remotely-piloted aircraft units, according to a May 12 announcement. Beginning this summer, the service will reassign the formal training units for the F-35, F-16, and MQ-9 from Air Education and Training Command to…