Lt. Col. Raymond Millero Jr., commander of the 79th Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB, S.C., recently reached 3,000 flying hours in the F-16, becoming the 260th F-16 pilot worldwide to do so, according to a base release. Those hours equate to a full 125 days. “When put into the context of 125 days, it seems unreal that I spent so much time in the cockpit,” said Millero. “I’ve had the opportunity to fly with 11 different Active Duty squadrons and five Air National Guard squadrons,” he added, logging some 611 combat flying hours over Afghanistan and Iraq. Millero has amassed more than 3,200 total flying hours in various platforms, during his 19 years in uniform, states the release. “I believe it is necessary for the older generation to pass along the lessons learned. … By growing the next generation of fighter pilots, we ensure they are ready when the nation calls,” said Millero. His milestone sortie took place on Feb. 19.
The last remaining T-1 Jayhawk at JBSA-Randolph, Texas, took its final flight to the "Boneyard" at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., on July 15. The 99th Flying Training Squadron will train pilots using T-6 and simulator until it gets T-7 Red Hawk in fiscal 2026.