Terminal Leave In Bavaria

A few days after my last flight in the F-16, we were started what the Air Force calls terminal leave.  We had about six weeks of holiday time left over that we hadn't used and chose the option of using it the rather than "selling" it back for money.

We spent the first week in Munich with Lana's mom and had the privilege to share our PMA story with Lana's former church.  We were completely surprised by the 60 or so people who came out on a Friday for our presentation.  It was a great mutual encouragement.

After a week, we drove to Chieming where Lana's grandparents are from.  No matter how many times  we visit this are of Bavaria it is just breath taking and you can help but stand in awe of God's creation.  On one particular day, we drove about an hour south down near Berchtesgaden in the southeastern part of Germany and went for an amazing hike.  The pictures below of the mountains were the view we had - amazing!  Having so much family time has been amazing and we're enjoying every minute of it.

After some sad goodbyes with Lana's family, we were on the road back to Spangdahlem to tie up some last things before our flight to the USA on May 1st.

Last Flight In The Mighty Viper

March 30th, 2015 marked the end of my Air Force flying career after 10 years of flying the F-16 (12 years total).  Here's the base recap of where we've been assigned:

Maxwell AFB, AL - Officer's Training School
Columbus AFB, MS - Pilot Training
Moody AFB, GA - Intro to Fighter Fundamentals
Luke AFB, AZ - F-16 flying training
Aviano AB, Italy - 510 Fighter Squadron
Kunsan AB, S. Korea - 35 Fighter Squadron
Shaw AFB, SC - 77 Fighter Squadron
Nellis AFB, NV - 16 Weapons Squadron
Spangdahlem AB, Germany - 480 Fighter Squadron

When I woke that morning in the base temporary lodging facility, the heavy rain was "falling" sideways and I had the stomach bug our family had been passing around the house the past few days.  I prayed silently, "Jesus, please clear the weather today and calm this sickness."  Upon the day's conclusion Lana, the family, and I would close a major chapter of our lives in preparation for the next.

I was feeling the emotions of excitement and sadness mixed together as the much anticipated day had arrived -- one of many lasts.  The last flight brief I would give, the last time I would strap on my g-suit, the last time I would organize mission materials on my flying knee board, the last ride out to and back from the jet in the pilot bus, the last takeoff, the last "kick" of the afterburner, the last castle tour along the Rhine and Mosel Rivers, the last of seeing the green German countryside from the air, the last time I'd lead my 4-ship up initial, the last landing, the last time I'd be welcomed by my fellow pilots and family back in my parking spot before being wrestled to the ground, duck taped, and sprayed with water in awesome fighter pilot fashion.  God answered our prayers and cleared the sky almost completely that afternoon and my stomach felt fine for the duration of the flight; He cares even about the small things in our lives!

I wasn't sure how the last flight would phase me emotionally (manly fighter pilot tears as Lana calls them), but it was more a day of excitement and looking forward at what is to come.  It may hit me later and I will miss flying the F-16, but knowing God has clearly led us to Pacific Mission Aviation made this day of lasts much easier to handle.

Life Is Short. Eternity Is Long. Live Like It.

In two weeks I will have my last F-16 flight after flying the jet for 10 years straight. It's a little sentimental each time I fly realizing there are many "lasts" happening each sortie. A couple weeks ago I shot the gun and dropped training bombs for the last time, and this coming week I'll flying some Suppression of Enemy Air Defenses (SEAD) flights for the last time. I sound a little like a broken record sometimes with the following phrase, but life is flying by (no pun intended). A great phrase from John Piper states the way Lana and I feel and are striving to live out, "Life Is Short. Eternity Is Long. Live Like It.

As we close the door of the Air Force chapter and start the next in missions, one thing I've learned is so many things in life are a matter of the heart - and only God truly knows a man's heart. Money, success, retirement, missions, how we treat and see people, etc. I pray God keeps us from "prideful missions" or feeling like we're "really living for God" by leaving the Air Force. Proverbs 16:2 says, "All the ways of a man are pure in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the spirit."

Where God is leading us now and where He leads us in the future is His plan, not ours, and we have no room for pride. Our missions team that is coming together is His working, not ours. The talents and abilities God has given us by His grace are not something we've created or built up on our own, He gave them to us. 1 Corinthians 4:7, "For who sees anything different in you? What do you have that you did not receive? If then you received it, why do you boast as if you did not receive it?" Our earthly possessions are ultimately His and we're stewards of them; God help us to live with open hands and allow you to give and take as you like!

Jesus stated we the we'd have to lose our life to find it and I pray for a heart that continues to care less and less about the temporal, earthly things and more about eternal things. Luke 12: 33b-24, "Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also."

Augustine - "They, then, who are destined to die, need not be careful to inquire what death they are to die, but into what place death will usher them."

Souda Bay, Greece - Final TDY

After returning from three weeks in the US, I left right away for my last temporary duty (TDY) with the Air Force.  Souda Bay is a Navy base on the island of Crete and it's the same location the squadron went to back in August of last year.  The weather in Germany during the winter is pretty terrible and many days of flying are canceled, so the squadron went searching for better weather to fly in.

Although the summer is a better time of the year to be in Greece, it was still nice.  The flying was great and the airspace is better than in Germany.  The Greek olive oil, salads, feta cheese, etc. are quick amazing and I had to work out just to keep from putting on some lbs.  The Saturday farmers market was very interesting with booth after booth of good Cretian produce.

This trip was both exciting and a somewhat sad all at the same time.  Exciting because with it's completion our family is one step closer to starting another big chapter of our lives in missions, yet sad because I am going to miss certain aspects of the Air Force.  Lana and I have seen and I've flown all over the world, I work with talented and driven fighter pilots, and the job challenges me.  There is honor in serving your country over self.  While an enjoyable last trip, you come to realize the Air Force will continue forward as people ebb and flow in and out of it's halls of service. 

Yet with all of those great things we know God has more of the world for us to see, amazing people for us to work for and with, ways to challenge us like we've never been challenged before, and people for us to serve and share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with.  He is already challenging and stretching our faith as we embark on a life of increased faith and trust that He'll be there emotionally and financially and comfort us when we have a case of "island fever" on a small island in the middle of the Pacific.  Even more than serving the USA, there is great honor is following Jesus Christ who is to be served above ourselves!

Surprising the kids at the airport when I returned was the best part of the trip!

Bludenz & Kitzbühel, Austria

Back in July this past summer, Lana and I organized a trip with two families from our church / Wednesday night Bible study to a small ski resort in Bludenz, Austria.  Then, a few months later the squadron planned a ski trip weekend to Kitzbühel, Austria the same time we had already planned on going.  So, we spent four days in the western part of Austria, then drove on Friday to Kitzbühel for a couple of days with the squadron.  It's great to be just a six hour drive from the Alps!

Sadly, this winter is proving to be one of the worst for snow in recent years so we were only able to snowboard two days of the trip and the kids weren't able to do any kid skiing.  They were able to sled one day though, so at least they were in the snow some.  It was a great time of relaxing with family and friends and enjoying some Christian fellowship!

We snowboarded in Sölden, Austria (where I learned to snowboard back in 2006 while stationed in Italy) and then in Kitzbühel (where we had our squadron Christmas party in 2008).  Part of the slopes were closed in Sölden because they were filming a scene from the next James Bond movie...maybe we'll be seen snowboarding through the background?!

Kitzbühel is quite close to Lana's grandparent's place and we were able to meet up for a coffee and walk along Lake Chiemsee.  It's one of the most picturesque locations in all of Europe and we're always in awe of God's creation when we visit!  We hit the road again and stopped by Munich to see Lana's mother, where we ended up dropping off two of our kids for a week.  This wasn't planned and really appreciate Gabi taking the kids for a few days!  Next up...Christmas 2014!