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Final F-16 class graduates Springfield training

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Tina Maddock
  • 178 FW/PA
SPRINGFIELD, Ohio --       The final class of F-16 Fighting Falcon Initial Qualification Training course students instructed at the 178th Fighter Wing in Springfield, Ohio, graduated in a formal ceremony Oct. 9 at the Wright-Patterson Club located at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. 

          The IQT course, also called Basic Course or B-Course, is an eight-and-a-half month training program for students who are graduates of Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training. While at Springfield Air National Guard Base, students have a strict training schedule that includes academics, time in simulators and hands-on flight training in the F-16.

     The ceremony was the culmination of graduates' months of training. Lt. Col. Joseph Schulz, 306th Detachment commander, acted as the master of ceremonies for the evening. Col. Mike Roberts, 178 FW commander, and Royal Netherlands air force Lt. Col. Maurice Schonk, the senior national representative, were present to speak at the event. 

     "It is good to be here during a night when four great fighter pilots are graduating, going back to the Netherlands and moving on in the world," said Colonel Schonk. "(They will be) moving on to theaters where we have been, or will be in the future."

     One graduate said that now that he has graduated, the hard work has just begun. "Now I am part of the squadron, people don't look at me as a student anymore and that is a big deal," he said.

     Colonel Schulz commented on his experience with the students.

     "Being involved with the students is very rewarding because you get to watch them go from a point from where they are not able to fly the airplane to the point where they can employ it successfully in a variety of missions," said Colonel Schulz.

     For the 178 FW, this graduation is one of many events to take place recently that marks the end of F-16 training at Springfield ANGB.

     "Tonight marks a happy event for the four students graduating here tonight, and it is sad in a lot of ways that this is the last time we will be doing that at Springfield, flying F-16's," said Colonel Roberts.

     "Over the last three and a half years we have done some great things (at Springfield), producing fighter pilots for the Dutch air force," said Colonel Roberts. "We've faced a lot of challenges along the way, but because of a lot of perseverance, a lot of hard work and a lot of dedication, we've come out on top."

     Future flight training for the Royal Netherlands air force will take place at Tucson Air National Guard Base, Ariz.

     "We will take the lessons learned out of the last three and a half years to Tucson to make the program better, and hopefully we will start out there at the level we are at now," said Colonel Schonk.

     Colonel Schulz, who was the first official student at Springfield ANGB, has seen the program from beginning to end. "It is bitter sweet and rewarding to know that we've done a good job over the years," said Colonel Schulz.