Sharing a summary of the pilot’s retirement festivities. After just under 22 years in the Air Force, it’s over!
I started this publication several times and I have a lot to say, so I ended up dividing it into two publications: a summary of the incredible military career of the pilot and everything we did to celebrate + my thoughts and experience with the life of the military wife.
This is a day for which we get excited for a while, and we are very grateful that so many friends and family could celebrate with us.
A photo of so many people who love that they came to celebrate with us:
The pilot retired a couple of weeks ago, and we had a full weekend to celebrate this significant milestone. The family began flying on Wednesday afternoon and night, so we found drinks and Zinburger here at home. On Thursday, we had a family pickleball party in Corbett with tons of applications and a friendly Pickleball competition. We returned here for dinner, and Friday was the big day.
He had the standard “fini flight”, which is his final flight in the squad. He directed a railing of some of his closest friends around Tucson, was able to shoot the gun several more, and we could go to the flight line to see him land. Everyone cheered while flying above, it was quite emotional.
It was imposed to park the plane for the last time, and greeted everyone, Gun style.
One of his main friends of the closest crew came from Las Vegas so that the day was his crew chief for the last time.
We sprinkle it with water and champagne,
He took a million photos
(I love these ladies)
(The pilot’s best friends since he was 7 years old)
And then he went to the official ceremony.
He was not very sure of how they would consolidate their incredible career in a brief ceremony, but they did an incredible job. The short version: it was 3,400 hours in the A-10, four deployments, 7 1/2 years of teaching at the A-10 school, a bronze star and multiple meritorious service medals. He was an instructor pilot, evaluator (he can give control trips to other pilots), search and rescue of combat, and air controller forward.
Even with all his achievements on paper, I could really see the scenes of everything he did as a squadron commander for the past three years. He was constantly on the phone registering and solving problems, on his computer every night, and really worried about everyone in the squad. He helped others through a serious illness and enormous changes in life, helped those who make the transition to find new opportunities and employment, wrote prizes, helped with retirement and transitions, and provided constant support for the squad. He did all this while working hard to try to balance everything with family life.
It was an honor to be by his side, and I am proud of his achievements and leadership.
After the ceremony, it was the time of the party! We go to the squad bar where we attended from Hawaiin Bros (an ode to the roots of the 47th squad), the most epic cupcakes of Village Bakehouse
(I had all the patches for each squad from which it has been part)
And they made some more awards inside.
Everyone went home to relax and regroup, and then we made an open day in Three Canyon, a local beer garden with live music. I thought friends and family would appear and greet and leave when they want (especially because we had been based most of the day), but all our friends appeared and closed the restaurant with us. It was epic.
The next day, I planned some optional events for friends and family who were in the city: a walk in Sabino Canyon,
P’s basketball game (could not miss their club games since they are in a tournament),
and dinner at the charro.
For our group of 25, the charro really went further. I booked the reservation a couple of months in advance, and they had us in the back room with an established menu.
Children’s table:
All obtained salads, guacamole, sauce, fries and fried potatoes of chile green cheese, and then had the option of enchiladas, tacos or tamales. We made daisies of margaritas for the tables and everything was super easy, so fresh and so good. It was the perfect way to limit the weekend!
I have had some questions about what the pilot will do now that he has retired from the Air Force. The next two months is being taken, and then returns to the world of commercial airlines. For now, he is enjoying a deserved X-Box time with his friends, additional naps and simply taking him calmly. After so many years of such a high stress lifestyle, I am so happy that I have the opportunity to relax a little.
Xoxo
Gina
*All the photos of Fini Flight and Cereony are of the incredible Kristi Harris
