Following in his father’s flightpath: KC-135 navigator, pilot son continue 100th ARW heritage

By Karen Abeyasekere, RAF Mildenhall / Published March 24, 2017

Advertisement

U.S. Air Force Capt. Patrick Teal, 351st Air Refueling Squadron pilot and aircraft commander poses for a photo in front of a 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker, March 3, 2017, on RAF Mildenhall, England. This is the wing’s lead jet and is the only RAF Mildenhall aircraft to display the 100th ARW’s 25th Anniversary logo as nose art. Teal’s father, a former navigator in the U.S. Air Force, was also stationed at RAF Mildenhall and arrived Feb. 1, 1993, exactly one year after the activation of the 100th ARW. (U.S. Air Force photo by Karen Abeyasekere)

RAF MILDENHALL, England -- Patrick Teal first arrived at RAF Mildenhall with his family Feb. 1, 1993, when he was almost 4 years old. His dad was a U.S. Air Force captain and navigator on the first KC-135 Stratotankers in the new fleet brought over after the activation of the 100th Air Refueling Wing in 1992. Now he’s back in his own right as a pilot and aircraft commander on the KC-135s at the very same wing at which his father served, and couldn’t be happier.

“Most of my childhood memories are from when I was young and in England,” said Capt. Patrick Teal, 351st Air Refueling Squadron, who lived in England until he was 12 years old. “I picked Mildenhall as my first choice after my last assignment, where I was an instructor at a pilot-training base.”

Patrick’s dad, then-Capt. Greg Teal, was stationed here until 1997, working at 3rd Air Force Headquarters – arrived at RAF Mildenhall exactly one year after the wing was stood up and served for four years at the 3rd Air Force headquarters, located in what is now the 100th ARW headquarters building. During that time he worked three different jobs, including initially helping stand up the standardization and evaluation section, working with aircrew from a variety of aircraft including F-111 Aardvarks and F-15 Eagles. Teal-senior also spent time as the aide-de-camp for the 3rd Air Force commander. He then spent a second four-year tour with the 351st ARS.

To read more, please visit: http://www.mildenhall.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1129249/following-in-his-fathers-flightpat...