Community

Crew Chief Profiles

  SrA. Jeff Kasaras (Ret.)

Crew Chief Profiles main menu | Create your profile

My profile

 Name SrA. Jeff Kasaras (Ret.)
Country
Unit 23rd Fighter Squadron "Fighting Hawks"
Crewing F-16s from 1989 until 1995
Contact Fred_exer Send me a private message
Website
I listed my assignments in reverse chronological order. I'm a former AD crew chief, now retired reservist on C-5's. I did 4 years with a 23 month extension to be able to go to Germany. My favorite assignment was Spangdahlem AB, Germany. I have had the pleasure of meeting and befriending a lot of great people in the USAF, many of whom remain close to and in contact with me. I have one great friend from California that I vacation with. I had a great time overall with the USAF, I just didn't want to stay in "big blue" for 20 solid years on AD in MX. In civilian life i am a professional firefighter/EMT and love it, it's a childhood dream fulfilled. The one bitter pill I've had to swallow was never having gotten a ride in a "viper". Thanks a lot! I hope those non-sortie producers enjoyed theirs.

Current or Favourite assignment

Spangdahlem AB was a great base, in a beautiful country. The unit worked well together save for a disastrous attempt to make 3 flights and cut train people to do others jobs (crew chiefs to learn weapons for ex). That didn't last long and we went back to 2 flights of crew chiefs and the respective specialist flights. Exercises weren't bad. I miss it there a lot and am glad to have lived off-base and am still friends with my old German landlords, I've been back a few times to visit. They're my second family.

Deployments

They were all a lot of fun though I didn't go on many. Nellis, Incirlik, Karup, Dk, Wittmundhaven, Gm, Tyndall I think were it over the 6 years.

My Jets & Assignments

 		91414 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 23rd Fighter Squadron "Fighting Hawks" [Unit History]
Period 1993 - 1995
Current: 91414   USAF 179 FS F-16C Block 50 [ act]
I was the "2nd wipe" on this jet but basically crewed it most of the time. It was nice to once again be part of the first crew of mechanics assigned to a brand spankin new jet fresh off the assembly line. The pilot assigned to it was a good guy who was also in Korea with me as a 1LT. He was Capt.Craig Leavitt who retired many years later as O-6
86276 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 35th Fighter Squadron "Pantons" [Unit History]
Period 1992 - 1993
Current: 86276   USAF 121 FS F-16C Block 30 [ act]
This was a great jet to be assigned to. I worked days most of my time there. It was housed in Arch 33. The 35th was a great assignment to be part of. My co-workers were a great, big close family though we worked a lot! Korea was ok to visit for the year but I wouldn't want to go back. It wasn't the end of the world (but you could see it from there)
89143 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 307th Fighter Squadron "Stingers" [Unit History]
Period 1991 - 1992
Current: 89143   USAF 8 FS F-16C Block 40 [ act]
I was assigned to this jet at Homestead AFB, Fl. as it came brand spankin new from GD. The 307th was stood up in 91 and consisted of new people, people from both the 308th and 309th FS's and from bases in Europe that we were closing (TJ, Hahn, Spangdahlem etc) This unit was a great one to be a part of. I had a good time here. The standard stateside "TAC" crap applied though.
82986 [Detailed history of this F-16]
Unit 309th Fighter Squadron "Wild Ducks" [Unit History]
Period 1990 - 1992
Current: QF-003   USAF 82 ATRS QF-16A Block 15 [ des]
The 309th then was the 309th TFS "wild ducks", Homestead AFB, Fl. It was my first assignment. We converted to Block 40 C/D's about a year after I got there. We were in an older, beat up building that was a real maintenance building, a good place to work until a new 309th building was made and we moved into it. From there it sucked, the Captain in charge cared more for the building and it's cleanliness than anything else. I was glad to have been sent to the 307th when it stood up. I enjoyed the work in the "old days" when we had a DCM and we were AGS, not part of the fighter squadrons.
C-5 Galaxy
Unit 439th MXS
Period -
I was a reservist on the giant C-5 at Westover ARB in Mass. I was in the A/R shop and it was a great shop and I worked with the same people and retired out with them so we had a great bond and friendship.
Visitor Comments






Note: Errors and omissions in the above text can be added here. Please note: your comments will be displayed immediately on this page.

If you wish to send a private comment to the webmasters, please use the Contact Us link.