Columbus AFB graduates 10,000th pilot Published Aug. 25, 2006 By Airman 1st Class Cecilia Rodriguez 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AETCNS) -- After 33 years of producing Air Force pilots, Columbus Air Force Base celebrated the graduation of its 10,000th student during Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 06-02's graduation ceremony Nov. 18. Gen. William R. Looney III, commander of Air Education and Training Command, spoke at the ceremony and pinned Air Force pilot silver wings on the 10,000th graduate - 2nd Lt. Kelly Nettleblad, who will be a T-38 instructor pilot here. "This event marks an important milestone for our Air Force and our 14th Flying Training Wing," General Looney said. "Given the fact that my first assignment was as a T-38 instructor pilot here at Columbus and I helped produce some of those 10,000 (graduates), I was excited about the opportunity to come back and participate in the graduation ceremony." Col. Stephen Wilson, 14th FTW commander, is proud of the fact that pilot graduates from Columbus AFB have participated in every major Air Force operation. "Within a few months of graduation, our pilot graduates may be flying sorties around the world -- from providing disaster relief in Pakistan to neutralizing the terrorist threat in Iraq and Afghanistan," Colonel Wilson said. "The 14th Flying Training Wing has proudly presented combatant commanders with more than 10,000 of the best trained professional military aviators standing ready to defend America." General Looney spoke to the graduates about their vital role in supporting the Global War on Terrorism. "This is not another country's war," the general said. "This war is about our values and beliefs. My concern is that if we walk away from this, we will find ourselves under attack here versus offensively battling the war someplace else. "It is a difficult decision to make, but the right decision is to stay the course and work with Iraqis and other allies," he said. "This war involves the entire globe, but we are the leaders; and the world looks to us to lead this war on terrorism."