Two Airmen currently assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing, Luke Air Force Base, Arizona, were selected to join the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds, for the 2025-2026 show seasons. Joining the Thunderbirds will be U.S. Air Force Capt. Nick Belinski, 309th Fighter Squadron instructor pilot, and U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Christian Martinez (left), 56th Fighter Wing protocol specialist. Martinez will support the team in scheduling, while Belinski will serve as the narrator and advance pilot. (U.S. Air Force photo illustration by Senior Airman Mason Hargrove)
Final F-16 class graduates
U.S. Air Force graduated pilots pose for a photo in front of an F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 309th Fighter Squadron, during the final 309th FS graduation for F-16 pilots, Sept. 20, 2024, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. After nearly five decades as a training hub for F-16 pilots, the 56th Fighter Wing is shifting exclusively to F-35A Lightning II training. This change will involve updating programs, remodeling infrastructure, and dismantling F-16 equipment to prepare for F-35 operations. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Katelynn Jackson)
Luke AFB celebrates 77th Air Force birthday
U.S. Air Force Col. David Berkland (left), 56th Fighter Wing commander, cuts the cake with Airman Preston Jones, 56th Logistics Readiness Squadron vehicle maintenance apprentice, at the 77th Air Force Ball, Sept. 13, 2024, at Luke Air Force Base, Arizona. The evening featured an array of traditions and presentations, a video presentation on the history of Luke AFB was shown, followed by a group of enlistees taking the oath of enlistment and the traditional cake-cutting ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Mason Hargrove)
