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Six months of intensive flying, demanding academics, coffee and relentless determination was the recipe for success for Capt. Dan Santoro who graduated first in his U.S. Air Force Weapons School class June 14 at Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.
“This incredible experience was a total team effort,” said Captain Santoro. “The cadre tasks you to solve multiple tactical problems with absolute minimal time. I couldn’t have succeeded without the help from each and every one of my classmates.”
***image1***The Weapons School, which many compare to the Navy’s Top Gun program, teaches graduate-level instructor courses to provide the world’s most advanced training in weapons and tactics employment. The school is headquartered at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., with detachments at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; Hurlburt Field, Fla.; Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark.; Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; and Barksdale Air Force Base, La.
The school was established in 1949 and was where World War II combat veterans began teaching the next generation of pilots. Today, the Weapons Instructor Course is taught to top notch pilots and navigators for C-130 Hercules, AC-130, MC-130, A-10 Thunderbolt II, B-1 Lancer, B-2 Spirit, B-52 Stratofortress, C-17 Globemaster III, F-15 Eagle, F-16 Falcon, F-117 Nighthawk, HH-60 Pave Hawk, KC-135 Stratotanker, MH-53 Pave Low, command and control operations, intelligence, space and support aircraft.
Captain Santoro is now identified as a Weapons School graduate by a patch he wears on his flight suit. Lt. Col. Mark August, 37th AS commander who is a Weapons School graduate and taught at the school from 2001 to 2005, attended the graduation.
“Watching any weapons officer walk across the stage is an amazing event,” Colonel August said. “Each one of these officers chose to take part in the Air Force’s most difficult school to become America’s experts in the employment of air and space power – a weapons officer.”
Captain Santoro’s family members and Colonel August were very proud to hear Captain Santoro announced as the top graduate.
“I was incredibly proud that a member of the Blue Tail Flies demonstrated exceptional leadership, flying skills and academic prowess to rise to the best of the best,” he said. “The squadron needs his new skills, knowledge and instructor ability to continue preparing for operations in U.S. Central Command Air Forces and future conflicts throughout European and African commands.”
Graduation culminates a curriculum which includes extensive off-station training and liaisoning with aircrew members in other Air Force aircraft enrolled in the school. Captain Santoro was thrilled to be the lead C-130 planner and lead a C-130 massive interfly with the 37th AS at Nellis AFB in May.
“Flying with my home station unit in this mission was incredible,” said Captain Santoro. “Getting to lead 15 C-130s 300 feet through the Nellis range with F-15s and A-10s screaming by was a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
My biggest reward, though, was seeing all the smiles and excitement on the faces of my buddies in the 37th. It made all the hard work my classmates and I put into the mission worth it.”
Captain Santoro has returned to the 37th AS and will continue flying with the Blue Tails and passing on knowledge he learned at Weapons School to other
members in his unit.
