[STARK 1st Female F-35C Pilot] Marine Women Advance F-35 PGM

[spazsinbad]

Marine Women Advance F-35 Program, Make Headlines as Program Accelerates.
10 Aug 2019 Tom Demerly

"Marine 1st Lt. Catherine Stark and Capt. Anneliese Satz make history.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Anneliese Satz made history on June 27, 2019 when she became the first female USMC fighter pilot to complete the F-35B Lighting II training syllabus. Following her completion of training in the F-35B at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Capt. Satz attended the grueling SERE school (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) for training combat pilots how to survive and escape if they are forced down over enemy areas.... [more SATZ info: viewtopic.php?f=22&t=55983 ]

...Capt. Satz joins USMC 1st Lt. Catherine Stark as a “first generation-fifth gen” pilot in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Unlike legacy fighter pilots with time and qualifications in older, 4th generation fighter aircraft, the pair of new Marine pilots advanced through their college educations and then primary and advanced flight schools directly into the 5th generation F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Most previous F-35 pilots in the USAF, U.S. Navy and the USMC began their careers as tactical pilots in other aircraft such as the F/A-18 or other aircraft that previously existed in the U.S. arsenal.

U.S. Marine 1st Lt. Catherine Stark earned her wings as a Marine Corps pilot with Training Air Wing 2, Naval Air Station Kingsville, in Kleburg, Texas. She graduated from the pilot training pipeline on Aug. 2, 2019 and will begin training to fly the F-35C Lightning II, the same wide-winged variant of the Joint Strike Fighter.

1st Lt. Stark, a Marine currently attached to the “Fighting Redhawks” of Training Squadron (VT) 21, has been in flight training since early 2016 according to the U.S. Navy. She completed training as a Marine Corps officer at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, and reported for initial flight training at NAS Pensacola, Florida. After more than two years of flight training in the T-6B Texan II primary flight training aircraft and the T-45C Goshawk advanced jet training aircraft, she has been selected to be the first female Marine to fly the unique F-35C carrier-specific variant.

“It has been a long process to get to where I am today,” Stark said in an official U.S. Navy release. “During my time in flight training, I have met so many hardworking Marine and Navy pilots who have shared my experience. Every single one of them has worked hard to earn the Wings of Gold we pinned on.”

During her time in the advanced jet phase of flight training, 1st Lt. Stark distinguished herself by scoring top scores on graded events such as Basic Fighter Maneuvering, Tactical Formations, and Section Engaged Maneuvering. Her overall Navy Standard Score through flight training made her stand out from other pilots in training, a significant factor in her selection to the new F-35C program.

“I am excited to start training on my assigned fleet aircraft,” 1st Lt. Stark said. “Flying the F-35 has been a goal of mine since I started training, but I didn’t know that I would have the opportunity to fly the F-35C. It’s a humbling experience and I am eager to learn from the pilots who have already spent time flying such an advanced aircraft.”

1st Lt. Stark will begin her training in the F-35C with the “Rough Raiders” of VFA-125 Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS). The FRS takes pilots who have recently completed training and transitions them to their assigned fleet aircraft.

Capt. Satz and 1st Lt. Stark join an elite group of only about 86 USMC pilots as of February 2019 who fly the F-35B STOVL variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the wide-winged F-35C. ...The Marines eventually hope to have 263 pilots qualified to fly their F-35B and F-35C combat aircraft.

PHOTO: "KINGSVILLE, Texas (Aug. 2, 2019) – Marine 1st Lt. Catherine Stark poses with her mother (left) and sister (right) during her winging ceremony aboard Naval Air Station Kingsville. Stark will continue to her assigned fleet replacement squadron (FRS) to fly the F-35C II Joint Strike Fighter jet aircraft. Stark is the first female Marine to be assigned to the Navy’s F-35C FRS. (U.S. Navy photo by Anne Owens/Released) 190802-N-OT909-1199" https://i1.wp.com/theaviationist.com/wp ... F35_20.jpg

Source: https://theaviationist.com/2019/08/10/m ... celerates/

[jacarlsen]

Call sign? Sansa or Arya?

[Dragon029]

Catherine Stark -> Catelyn Stark -> Lady Stoneheart -> Stoneheart?

I'd assume her actual callsign has nothing to do with Game of Thrones though.

[spazsinbad]

Just 'starK' does it for me. I cannot type much for two days cause I bin STENTED! again - now I'm a times two warrior.

[spazsinbad]

This USAF pilot is flying the F-35B from USS America OR Air Force Fighter Pilot Joins Navy Marine Corps Team
18 Mar 2020 Seaman Jonathan Berlier USS America (LHA 6)

"“When I get into the cockpit, it’s like the world shuts off around me and the only thing that matters is the mission,” said Air Force Capt. Melanie Ziebart, a pilot assigned to Yokota Air Force Base. “Being a single-seat fighter pilot is incredibly rewarding and confidence-building because it’s only you in that jet and you’re trusted to figure it out when things go wrong.”

Becoming a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force has been something of a family tradition. It was Ziebart’s parents who inspired her from a very young age, both of whom were fighter pilots. Her father was an F-16 pilot with the 35th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Her mother was in the first graduating class of women at the Air Force Academy; an essential asset to paving the way for women in military aviation. After pilot training, she became an instructor for the T-37 and later went on to fly the KC-135.

“I absolutely look up to her,” said Ziebart. “She never let the attitude of men-thinking-women-didn’t-belong-as-pilots deter her. Her positive outlook and determination inspired me throughout my Air Force journey and her experiences taught me that gender doesn’t matter in the cockpit.”

Her parents took her to an Air Force Academy football game where she first watched the Thunderbirds fly over the stadium, that moment would become a significant memory and helped fuel her passion for flying which, combined with inspiration from her parents, cemented her decision to become a pilot.

“Before college I was really dedicated to school and sports,” said Ziebart. “I always knew I wanted to be a fighter pilot, so I worked really hard to set myself up for that goal. My parents both taught me that I could be and do anything that I wanted if I worked hard enough. I always knew that I wanted to serve my country in some way and based on their stories, flying jets didn’t seem like a bad way to do it.”

As she grew older, Ziebart continued towards her childhood goal. During her time at the University of Southern California, she joined the ROTC program. She became Detachment 060’s Air Force ROTC Distinguished Graduate and Cadet of the Year, to kick-start her career as a pilot.

After graduating, Ziebart was chosen for the Euro-NATO Joint Jet pilot training program at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. There, she was officially selected as a fighter pilot and chosen to fly the F-16 Viper, the same aircraft her father flew. She went on to fly the F-16C with the 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan Air Base, Korea. Ziebart said it was a special moment receiving her first orders to the same fighter assignment in Korea her father had 30 years before her and she remembered the moment when she found her father’s name-tag on display at Kunsan.

“I was able to go over there and put my name-tag next to his and get a picture,” said Ziebart. “That was a pretty cool experience.” Her fighter pilot dreams would take her much farther than she realized. Ziebart is now an Air Force exchange pilot flying with the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121 Green Knights, reinforcing Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 265, aboard the amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6).

She now flies the F-35B Lightning II aircraft aboard the ship, making her an essential asset to three branches of the U.S. military. “I’m lucky to be surrounded by passionate, dedicated, and talented people,” said Ziebart. “Being in the military has afforded me more opportunities than I ever imagined and flying jets is the best job in the world!”

There are currently six Air Force pilots flying the F-35B in Marine squadrons as a way to disseminate inter-service tactics and strengthen joint-force capabilities. She is the only one among them to deploy with an embarked squadron.

“Because of my assignment with the Green Knights in Iwakuni, I’m the first one lucky enough to deploy on a Navy ship and get the full experience of being an amphibious war-fighter,” said Ziebart.

Switching to the F-35B was completely different for Ziebart. She explained how the jet gives her access to more situational awareness of surface and air threats than the F-16, making her a more efficient fighter pilot. She also enjoys the cutting-edge technology found in the F-35B. Although some of the flying experiences are very different, Ziebart’s fundamental skills of dogfighting and tactically maneuvering a jet transferred quickly to the F-35B.

“The F-35B’s advancement in technology is truly impressive and the amount of information that we get on our giant display is game-changing,” said Ziebart. “It’s such a surreal feeling to take-off, fly at the speed of sound, simulate shooting a missile at an adversary, then drop a bomb and watch it explode on a screen in my jet, and call that my job.”
Her passion for flying is driven by gratifying experiences in the air. She said the most enjoyable part is the unique challenge that comes from flying a new aircraft in a new environment.

“It’s been challenging and humbling to throw myself into an environment that I knew absolutely nothing about,” said Ziebart. “Luckily every Sailor and Marine has been quick to teach me boat-life and keep me from getting lost in the passageways.”

Ziebart’s inter-service experience has been eye-opening. She said she has been involved in planning missions she never knew existed and learned the incredible capabilities of the Navy and Marine Corps team. “Each ‘first’ is making me a more rounded and confident pilot,” said Ziebart. “I welcome each challenge that Navy-life brings and I’m enjoying the process of learning more about our missions and capabilities here.”

After her exchange with the Marines, she will return to an Air Force squadron and her goal is to teach and mentor young fighter pilots as an instructor. “I’ve been inspired by the dedication and passion of so many instructors and I would love to contribute back to our community in that way.”

Photo: "200307-N-BT681-1041 GULF OF THAILAND (March 7, 2020) United States Air Force pilot Capt. Melanie Ziebart poses for a photo on the flight deck of amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6). America, flagship of the America Expeditionary Strike group 31st MEU team, is operating in the 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Jonathan Berlier) https://cdn.dvidshub.net/media/thumbs/p ... 0w_q95.jpg

Source: http://alert5.com/2020/03/19/this-usaf- ... more-80687 OR https://www.dvidshub.net/news/365416/ai ... corps-team

[jessmo112]

The 1st woman deployed.
https://www.foxnews.com/us/pilot-first- ... lth-combat

If anyone knows her, Tell Her I love her and I want to get married.

[spazsinbad]

She [BANZAI!] says: "You talkin' to me? ARE YOU TALKIN' TO ME?" [don't wait for the CLICK!] (see the same dialog in TAXI DRIVER): viewtopic.php?f=16&t=5967&p=440957&hilit=Banzai#p440957

Are you talking to me? (Robert De Niro Taxi driver) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tp6KExqs_3o