A/TQ covers - Airlift/Tanker Association

Captain Christina McCarty
HC-130P Instructor Pilot
Captain Christina McCarty is an instructor pilot assigned to
the 79th Rescue Squadron, Davis Monthan Air Force Base, Tucson,
Arizona. She is 30 years old. Captain
McCarty was born in Olean, New
York, on 30 September 1981. She attended
Ellicottville Central School where
she excelled in many areas. As captain
of both the track and soccer teams, she
led her teams to regional and state titles
respectively. Following graduation in
1999, Captain McCarty attended the
United States Air Force Academy and received
her commission and a Bachelors
of Science in Biology in 2003.
Upon completion of pilot training at Naval Air Station Corpus
Christi in 2005, Captain McCarty began initial qualification
training at Little Rock Air Force Base for the C-130E. She then
completed mission qualification training for the HC-130P at Kirtland
Air Force base as a distinguished graduate. During her first
operational flying assignment with the 102d Rescue Squadron,
F.S. Gabreski Airfield, New York, Captain McCarty was selected as
Company Grade Officer for the year for the 106th Rescue Wing in
2007. While with the 102d Rescue Squadron, she also attained a
Masters in Business Administration from Penn State University in
2008 and maintained an active role volunteering with the local
Make-A-Wish Foundation.
Following her tour with the 102d Rescue Squadron, for which
Captain McCarty earned a Commendation Medal, she was assigned
to the 79th Rescue Squadron. Since arriving she has received
recognition as Exercise RED FLAG 11-3 Superior Performer
and deployed in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM to
Afghanistan flying 175 combat sorties earning four Air Medals. In
2011as the squadron Mobility Officer, Captain McCarty was recognized
as the Company Grade Officer of the Year for the squadron,
and rapidly upgraded to Instructor Pilot. Captain McCarty
now is the Pilot Flight Commander and is currently training to fly
the new HC- 130J as a key member of the initial cadre standing up
the first-ever HC-130J personnel recovery squadron.
“I found that the
men and women who got to
the top were those who did
the jobs they had in hand,
with everything they had of
energy and enthusiasm
and hard work.”
–Harry S. Truman
“Leadership is practiced
not so much in words as in attitude
and in actions.”
–Harold S. Geneen
Captain Wesley N. Spurlock
Ops Group Exec Officer, KC-10 Eval Aircraft Commander
Captain Wes Spurlock is the 60th Operation Group Chief Executive
Officer assigned to the 60th Air Mobility Wing, 60th Operations
Group, Travis Air Force Base, California.
Captain Spurlock was born in Rawlins,
Wyoming on 14 November 1981. He attended
Norco High School, in Norco, California
before he attended the United States
Air Force Academy. He graduated with
Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering
and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant
in 2004.
Upon graduation, Captain Spurlock was
selected for Pilot Training at Moody AFB,
GA, where he trained in the single-engine
T-6 Texan. He then went off to Columbus AFB, MS to fly the multiengine
T-1 Jayhawk. Captain Spurlock graduated pilot training with
distinction, earning the Air Force Association Award, and was selected
to become a First Assignment Instructor Pilot. While fulfilling
his instructor duties at Columbus AFB, Captain Spurlock served
as an Executive Officer as well as a Flight Commander for the 14th
Operations Support Squadron and earned the 14th Flying Training
Wing Company Grade Officer of the Year. In 2008 he attended
Squadron Officer School and was a Distinguished Graduate earning
“Outstanding Performer.” That same year Captain Spurlock married
his wife Jessica.
In 2009 Captain Spurlock was assigned to Travis AFB to fly the KC-
10 Extender. Since arriving at Travis, Captain Spurlock has been the
9th Air Refueling Squadron’s Chief of Training, Chief of Scheduling,
and Chief of Operations. In 2010 Capt Spurlock and his wife became
proud parents to daughter Madison Spurlock, and are expecting the
birth of their second child in June 2012.
Captain Spurlock is currently the Chief Executive Officer in
AMC’s largest Operations Group, the 60th Operations Group, where
he leads a 32 member executive team responsible for all administrative
functions pertaining to more than 1,000 members. Additionally,
as a the youngest KC-10 Evaluator Pilot at Travis AFB, Captain
Spurlock leads aircrews on worldwide missions while evaluating and
instructing pilot qualification, pilot requalification, aircraft commander,
and instructor pilot upgrade training in the $88.5 Million
KC-10. He has deployed in support of Operations ENDURING FREE-
DOM, IRAQI FREEDOM, NEW DAWN, ODESSEY DAWN and UNI-
FIED PROCTECTOR.
While at Travis, Capt Spurlock has been recognized as the 60th Air
Mobility Wing Company Grade Officer of the Quarter, the 60th Operations
Group Company Grade Officer of the Year twice, the 60th
Air Mobility Wing’s Company Grade Officer of the Year, and won the
60th Air Mobility Wing’s James Jabara Award for aviation excellence.
Additionally, Captain Spurlock was AMC’s nominee for the General
Hoyt Award as the best Air-Refueling Aircrew in the Air Force, won
the General Ellis Trophy at the 2011 RODEO for the Best KC-10 Wing
in the Air Force, and was the AMC Company Grade Officer of the
Year for 2011.
2012 A/TA Awards continue on page 40 >>>
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