JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska – Lt. Col. Kevin Sutterfield, an Air Force Reserve F-22 pilot, will be delivering an F-22 to the 51^st Annual Reno National Championship Air Races and then making his debut in a 1942 AT-6 Texan during the competition Sept. 10-14.

“It’s a real privilege to fly these amazing aircraft and to be part of this legendary aviation event,” said Sutterfield. “For a kid that grew up looking through the airport fence, this is a dream come true.”

Sutterfield learned to fly before he had a driver’s license- soloing on his 16th birthday near his home in Tampa, Fla. After graduating from the Air Force Academy in 1997, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lt and attended pilot training. While at pilot training, Sutterfield swept the awards, winning the Distinguished Graduate (1# Order of Merit), Outstanding Flying Award, and the AETC Commander’s trophy. Sutterfield was then hand-picked to fly the Air Forces’ top air-superiority fighter, the F-15C, for 10 years throughout the Middle East and Asia.  In 2004, Sutterfield attended the prestigious Fighter Weapons School and in 2007, he was selected to fly the F-22 Raptor.

Earlier this month it was announced that Sutterfield would take command of the 302nd Fighter Squadron, one of the USAF’s ten front-line combat F-22 squadrons. The most experienced of all the F-22 squadrons, the 302nd Fighter Squadron has a proud heritage as one of the original Tuskegee Airmen squadrons from World War II.

As the commander, Sutterfield will be responsible for preparing and leading Airmen into combat operations world-wide in partnership with the 90th and 525th fighter squadrons, also stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Media interested in interviewing Sutterfield will have the opportunity when he lands at Reno Stead Field Sept. 9 at approximately 3:30 p.m. For more information or to set up an interview contact Maj. Ashley Conner, 477^th Fighter Group Chief, Public Affairs, at [email protected] or by cell phone 808-277-3713.