Thunderbirds announce 2011 officer selections

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  • By U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. --  The U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, commonly known as the Thunderbirds, recently announced incoming officer selections for the 2011 demonstration season.

Capt. Ryan Riley, an F-16 pilot stationed at Kunsan Air Base, South Korea, will join the team as the left wing for the squadron as Thunderbird No. 2.

Capt. Nicholas Holmes, an F-16 pilot stationed at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., will serve as the slot for the squadron as Thunderbird No. 4.

Capt. John Williams, an F-15 pilot stationed at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., will take over as the opposing solo, Thunderbird No. 6.

Lt. Col. Jason Koltes, an F-16 pilot serving at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, will join the team as the operations officer, Thunderbird No. 7.

Capt. Joshua Hawkins, stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, will become the new executive officer, as Thunderbird No. 10.

Maj. Jason Moore, currently stationed at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., will serve as the maintenance officer, Thunderbird No. 11.

Selection of the next public affairs officer, Thunderbird No. 12, is delayed until late summer due to the deployed status of one of the finalists.

"Each person and position is carefully selected based on the individual's record of performance, capabilities in their particular field and a demonstrated commitment to excellence that matches the Airmen we represent every day," said Lt. Col. Case Cunningham, the squadron commander/leader and Thunderbird No. 1.

Pilots selected for the team flying a different airframe will undergo several months of F-16 familiarization training before they begin practicing the aerial demonstrations with the current Thunderbird pilots.

"Each year, we have dozens of highly capable Airmen apply for each position," Colonel Cunningham said. "We select the most qualified individuals to join the team, based on their overall capabilities and ability to represent all Airmen."

The Thunderbirds are currently touring in their 57th year as the Air Force's premier jet demonstration team. The 130-person squadron represents the nearly 700,000 active-duty, guard, Reserve and civil service Airmen serving at home and abroad. The Thunderbirds deliver the Air Force story at air shows around the country and the world each weekend from March through November.