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AOC Commander bids farewell to his beloved "Eagle"

  • Published
  • By Maj. Susan A. Romano
  • AFNORTH PA
TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla --  On a picture perfect Florida panhandle day, a veteran Air Force aviator strapped on his g-suit for the last time as he prepared for his final flight in an F-15C Eagle.

Col. David "Digger" Kriner, the commander of the 601st Air and Space Operations Center, flew his 2,827th hour in the fighter jet May 8, with his five children and scores of fellow Airmen watching as he made his final landing on Tyndall's runway.

The fini-flight, as it is commonly referred to within the fighter pilot community, is a time-honored military aviation tradition marking the end of a pilot's time in his assigned aircraft. After Colonel Kriner lobbied for and won additional flying positions for the AOC, he restructured the flying positions to better suit the mission, resulting in more flying billets for younger pilots, but the loss of his own.

"It's never easy to give up flying," the 23-year combat pilot lamented. "I've practically flown the Eagle around the world and back, and I'll tell you - it is the greatest piece of machinery in our Air Force inventory. But I might be somewhat biased!"

After a short stint as a student pilot at Williams AFB, Ariz., the colonel quickly became a flight lead, instructor pilot, mission commander, and ultimately flight examiner. Of his nearly 4,000 total flying hours, 184 of them were earned in combat. During his 23 years of continuous flying, he had a tremendous impact on hundreds of pilots under his instruction, exponentially improving the Combat Air Force through his tutelage.

"I have been very fortunate to fly fighters in the United States Air Force, and I wouldn't trade that time for anything," the AOC commander said. "I look forward to doing other things to support the Air National Guard and the Air Force at this point in my career."

When "Digger" landed, he was greeted with the traditional "hose down," courtesy of the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron's fire department, along with several champagne corks aimed at him as he climbed out of the F-15. Colonel Kriner's son, Emmett, had the distinct honor of shooting the 130-pound-per-square-inch water stream in his father's direction.

Airman 1st Class Justin Post from the 2nd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, a part of the 325th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, was Colonel Kriner's dedicated crew chief for his historic flight, but according to the Airman, it was just another day on the job.

"For me, it's business as usual," said Airman Post. "It's important that we stay focused on our jobs of making sure the jet is launched and recovered safely, but I'm also proud to be part of something that means so much to the pilot."

Colonel Kriner's job as the commander of the 601st AOC, also known as "America's AOC" as it is the sole air operations center responsible for the defense of the Continental United States (whereas the other 12 AOCs in the Department of Defense aim their operational focus outside America's shores), includes detecting, deterring, defending, and if necessary, defeating any aviation threat to the citizens of the United States and to critical U.S. infrastructure.

"Digger's legacy as a combat fighter pilot will carry on well into the future of our fighting force," said Maj. Gen. Hank Morrow, Air Forces Northern commander. "He has had that 'Midas Touch' throughout his flying career, turning opportunities into gold and making it look easy along the way. The F-15 community will sorely miss his airborne prowess, but there are so many young pilots he's instructed along the way who will carry on his skill in the air."