EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. – The new commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing said training the first generation of F- 35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots and maintainers is the “privilege of a lifetime.” Col. David Hlatky said he’s eager and excited by the challenge. The wing, which for years flew F-15s on air dominance missions, now falls under Air Education and Training Command’s 19th Air Force and is the Department of Defense’s first joint strike fighter organization. “We are building a magnificent joint strike fighter training campus that will house Marines, sailors, airmen and at least eight coalition partners," Hlatky said. (Source: Eglin Air Force Base, 10/01/09)
