by David P.
At the end of my Air Force career, I was a mission
planner in the U-2 community at Beale Air Force Base, California. I retired
early and several years later was employed by Lockheed as a contract mission
planner back at Beale. In 2004, I took a leave of absence from Lockheed Martin to
go back on active duty for three years. As I approached my second Air Force
retirement, I had the opportunity of a lifetime—a backseat ride in the U-2. I
was grateful for the chance to see why pilots from every branch of the military
are attracted to the Dragon Lady. From high atop the world of manned aircraft
flight, I was awestruck by the blackness of space above and the beauty of the
world below. What a perfect platform to exercise the 9th Reconnaissance Wing
motto—In God We Trust, All Others We
Monitor.
 |
| From up here, I gained a new perspective! |
