Coast Guard pilot traces roots to Air Force opportunities

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Ben Gonzales
  • Air Force News Agency
COAST GUARD AIR STATION BORINQUEN, Puerto Rico (AFNEWS) --  An Airman formed a passion for flying after enlisting in the Air Force, and with the educational benefits afforded to him, this former senior airman now flies Coast Guard helicopters here.

Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Juan Lopez was once an aerospace ground equipment mechanic at Norton Air Force Base in California, but while serving his country he developed a desire to take to the sky.

Commander Lopez's story really begins on Puerto Rico, where he grew up in the town of Yauco and dreamed of a better life. He left the island for the mainland at 18 and knew serving in the military could help him and his family have the American dream.

"Unemployment on the island was high at the time, and with my wife pregnant. It was more of a move out of necessity in the hope of a better future," he said.

After coming to America, his first challenge was mastering the English language well enough to pass the military entrance exam. He studied, passed the exam, and enlisted in the Air Force where he first went to technical school at Chanute AFB, Ill., before being stationed at Norton AFB.

Once in California, he worked on the flightline and developed his desire to fly watching C-141 Starlifters fly every day.

"I had an outstanding supervisor who gave me the chance to pursue my educational goals," Commander Lopez said. "The education folks on the base were great and really helped me get my degrees in an accelerated pace by showing me how I earned credits for tech school and basic and how I could take exams for credits."

In just 18 months, he earned his bachelor's of science degree by taking college courses and taking CLEP and DANTES exams, and then finished his master's degree just one year later. After serving just four years and one month, the senior airman was ready to take to the sky.

"I really wanted to fly, and I took private lessons on my free time," said the aircraft commander and the assistant operations officer of Coast Guard Air Station Borinquen. "I really wanted to fly, and as soon as I completed my education the Coast Guard gave me the opportunity to fly."

Today the lieutenant commander flies one of four Coast Guard HH-65C Dolphins stationed here at what used to be Ramey AFB, which closed in 1973. Here with 100 other Coast Guardsmen, Commander Lopez and others stand ready whenever anyone needs help in the air station's 1.2 million square mile area of operation.

Always standing ready is a crew consisting of a pilot, co-pilot, rescue swimmer and flight technician with their HH-65C. It only takes a few minutes to get the helicopter in the air and this Coast Guard unit takes care of anyone in need from the Haitian/Dominican Republic border, all of the Caribbean and around Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Being constantly ready is vital to homeland defense, and since fiscal 2006 approximately 7,500 migrants were stopped at sea by Coast Guardsmen from this station.

"Saving lives is our primary mission," the lieutenant commander said. "It doesn't matter who is out there and needs help. We are there to save a life."

The Coast Guard members here also help homeland security and the border patrol by preventing migrants from making it to American territory and help law enforcement by stopping smugglers, but the No. 1 priority for the unit is search and rescue.

"There is no better feeling then when we pluck a person out of the water," said the 14-year Coast Guard veteran. "You just can't compare this to anything else."

"Commander Lopez is an experienced pilot and flying is second nature to him," said Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Chris Rubinan, a flight mechanic who has flown on numerous mission with the commander. "With his experience, he is a key tool to train all the Coast Guard pilots here."

The commanding officer of the air station leans on Commander Lopez for more than teaching younger pilots.

"Juan Lopez is one of our instructor pilots, and my most entrusted officer," said Coast Guard Capt. Thomas Wade, who leads the unit . "He is mature and always mentors our junior pilots to be solid Coast Guard officers. He is especially valuable to me because he grew up here, so I go to him for community concerns and always get straight answers. Commander Lopez is one of the better officers I've ever served with."

"It is great to be back in Puerto Rico and part of a great service where I can do a lot for my country," Commander Lopez said. "The educational benefits available in the Air Force gave me the opportunity to be where I am today."

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