1
00:00:00,570 --> 00:00:03,153
(upbeat music)

2
00:00:07,090 --> 00:00:09,465
- So Southern Lightning is a 60 day trip

3
00:00:09,465 --> 00:00:11,731
of six aircraft, F-35 aircraft,

4
00:00:11,731 --> 00:00:14,200
down to Eglin Air Force Base

5
00:00:14,200 --> 00:00:17,080
so that we can continue to work on

6
00:00:17,080 --> 00:00:19,180
our flying requirements
so that we can keep

7
00:00:19,180 --> 00:00:21,007
working towards getting a
added conversion on time.

8
00:00:21,007 --> 00:00:24,015
So we brought roughly a hundred folks down

9
00:00:24,015 --> 00:00:26,640
and we're flying some training missions

10
00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,940
outta Eglin so that they
can finish the construction

11
00:00:28,940 --> 00:00:31,201
back home and we can stay
on step for conversion.

12
00:00:31,201 --> 00:00:33,186
(jet roaring)

13
00:00:33,186 --> 00:00:35,670
- My favorite part about my job

14
00:00:35,670 --> 00:00:37,200
are the trips like these.

15
00:00:37,200 --> 00:00:38,700
They offer you an opportunity

16
00:00:38,700 --> 00:00:40,770
to really focus on your craft

17
00:00:40,770 --> 00:00:42,550
and they do offer an opportunity

18
00:00:42,550 --> 00:00:43,790
to see the world.

19
00:00:43,790 --> 00:00:46,870
It really is an opportunity

20
00:00:46,870 --> 00:00:50,720
for a balanced work and personal life.

21
00:00:50,720 --> 00:00:53,560
And there's a lot of
opportunities to be had.

22
00:00:53,560 --> 00:00:55,400
- Oh, it's so exciting, it's amazing.

23
00:00:55,400 --> 00:00:57,430
That's one of the whole reasons I joined

24
00:00:57,430 --> 00:00:59,330
the Air Force was to travel

25
00:00:59,330 --> 00:01:01,510
and to get to experience
different cultures,

26
00:01:01,510 --> 00:01:03,590
different atmospheres, and it's amazing

27
00:01:03,590 --> 00:01:05,853
that I have the ability to be
here at Southern Lightning.

28
00:01:06,930 --> 00:01:08,840
- So, right here in Eglin right now,

29
00:01:08,840 --> 00:01:10,680
we're on training.

30
00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:13,890
We are simulating real combat missions.

31
00:01:13,890 --> 00:01:18,050
So, it gives the experience needed to be

32
00:01:18,050 --> 00:01:21,320
combat ready for our unit.

33
00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:23,880
Not only for the guys
that are active duty,

34
00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:25,234
but the traditional that they do only

35
00:01:25,234 --> 00:01:28,226
one week of the month,
they are exposed here

36
00:01:28,226 --> 00:01:32,043
and they get to see what
we do on a daily basis.

37
00:01:33,980 --> 00:01:37,140
- This was the first F-35 deployment

38
00:01:37,140 --> 00:01:38,900
that the Air National
Guard has ever pulled off,

39
00:01:38,900 --> 00:01:41,610
so it was very nerve-racking at first

40
00:01:41,610 --> 00:01:42,680
while we got everything ready,

41
00:01:42,680 --> 00:01:44,605
but once we hit the ground

42
00:01:44,605 --> 00:01:47,220
the team took over, it kinda
became that muscle memory.

43
00:01:47,220 --> 00:01:48,560
The training started flowing through

44
00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:50,810
and the team has been great here.

45
00:01:50,810 --> 00:01:53,640
They have met every obstacle that

46
00:01:53,640 --> 00:01:55,140
we've had thrown at 'em

47
00:01:55,140 --> 00:01:58,073
and also, from a teamwork-wise,

48
00:01:58,073 --> 00:01:59,330
they've had a little bitta fun

49
00:01:59,330 --> 00:02:01,300
off of, outside of work,

50
00:02:01,300 --> 00:02:02,890
and have been able to
keep the comradery up,

51
00:02:02,890 --> 00:02:05,330
so it's been really, really good.

52
00:02:05,330 --> 00:02:07,210
- Oh my gosh, I love being
a Green Mountain Boy.

53
00:02:07,210 --> 00:02:08,420
It's amazing, it's,

54
00:02:08,420 --> 00:02:10,130
everybody's pleasant, but it really is

55
00:02:10,130 --> 00:02:13,840
truly a second family
away from my blood family.

56
00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:15,540
I wouldn't trade it for the world.

57
00:02:17,230 --> 00:02:19,340
- What I like about my job

58
00:02:19,340 --> 00:02:22,490
is doing something important.

59
00:02:22,490 --> 00:02:26,563
Not for, only for our
state, for our country.

60
00:02:27,850 --> 00:02:30,377
The people that I work
with, they're amazing.

61
00:02:30,377 --> 00:02:32,236
We're like family.

62
00:02:32,236 --> 00:02:34,691
That is what I care about.

63
00:02:34,691 --> 00:02:37,274
(upbeat music)