Forum: F-16 Armament & Stores

Air Force shows off new weapon
Crew chiefs 'coined' for their artistic endeavor

By ANNABELLE ROBERTSON
Item Staff Writer

SHAW AIR FORCE BASE — The Air Force has a new weapon.

For marketing and recruiting, that is.

As part of Shaw Air Force Base's Viper East F-16 Demonstration Team, Senior Airman Anthony J. Modugno and Staff Sgt. James A. Griggs, both crew chiefs, spent two weeks of their personal time transforming an F-16 travel pod into a work of art.

The pod, which went from the standard dull gray to a shiny black with yellow and gold flames, will function as an advertisement for the Air Force, along with the F-16 Viper and the airmen who travel the world talking about their work.

According to Shaw's Public Affairs Office, an aircraft travel pod functions like a car trunk.

"There's no place in the cockpit for pilots to store any type of equipment or belongings," said Lt. Emily Chilson, a Public Affairs spokesperson. "So this travel pod allows them room to carry whatever gear they may need."

Modugno and Griggs came up with the idea for the new look and went to work, using YouTube videos to teach them the painting techniques. When their commander, Col. Robert A. Hopkins Jr., 20th Maintenance Group commander, saw the pod, he decided to recognize their initiative.

Hopkins "coined" Modugno and Griggs early Thursday morning on the Shaw flightline.

"They have this new paint scheme and I like it," Hopkins said, before presenting the pair with special Air Force coins. "These are our spokespersons for the Air Force. See how good they look? You park these guys in front of a jet and people come."

"We're just out there to show what the Air Force does and what a fighter pilot does," Griggs said. "To some people who have never seen an F-16 before, the Air Force is just another part of the Army. But they see this thing screaming by and all of a sudden, it's a whole new concept. People get really excited."

Griggs, who has been with the Air Force for five years, said he loves his job and wouldn't want to do anything else.

"I've seen some stuff in my five years, stuff that a lot of kids want to do," he said. "In this economy, there aren't a lot of jobs. But this is a great job. There are not many like it."

Together with his team, Griggs visited high schools, hospitals and other groups around the country and abroad last year, speaking to more than 3.1 million people.

"Our demo team takes the Air Force to millions of people across the country and the world," said Col. Joseph T. Guastella Jr., commander, 20th Fighter Wing. "We give them a demonstration of air power and get people excited about what the Air Force does. And we do some pretty cool things."

source: http://www.theitem.com/article/20090515 ... /705159996