138th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
2/19/2015 - TULSA AIR NATIONAL GUARD BASE, Okla. -- A Collinsville youth became the 138th Fighter Wing's newest honorary pilot here Feb. 19. during the units "Pilot for a Day" recognition program.
Josh Payton participated in the pilot for a day program, which was created to allow children with potentially life threatening illnesses an opportunity to spend a day interacting on base and sharing in some of the experiences of an Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter pilot.
Josh Payton, the son of Airman 1st Class Jacky Payton and wife Marie, was diagnosed in September 2014 with Ewing sarcoma, a rare bone cancer.
"The program is something that we are doing locally to help give back to the community and we keep it simple without a lot or red tape," stated Lt Col Ryan Jones, 138th FW pilot for a day program coordinator. "We have a lot of really great people on this base who help to make this happen for these young folks."
Airman 1st Class Payton is a traditional guardsman at the 138th Fighter Wing where he works as a personnel specialist in the 138th Logistics Readiness Squadron.
"It was a big surprise because I didn't realize it was one event, just for one child," stated Airman 1st Class Payton. "It's a big deal for Josh because he had just started in Civil Air Patrol then he got diagnosed, so now he's not able to join until his treatments are finished. So for him to be able to come out and do this, it's meant a lot to him, it's really lifted his spirits up."
"We're not going to stop, we're going to keep doing this," stated Lt Col Jones. "It's not just one person that benefits, but everyone involved benefits."
The program was launched at the 138th FW with Jones, who brought the program from his previous unit at the 149th FW, San Antonio, Texas.
Josh is Tulsa's seventh Pilot for a Day since the program started at the 138th FW in May 2012.
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