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The sound of freedom

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amber R. Kelly-Herard
  • 332 Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
JOINT BASE BALAD, Iraq --  Quite often, the F-16s are heard taking off from Joint Base Balad. Most of the time people stop to look even though they have seen it before. Although they are loud, it does not bother anyone, because they are often referred to as, "the sound of freedom".

One of the many pilots who fly the F-16s here at JBB is Capt. Ben "Chex" Meier, 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron.

As a 480th EFS pilot, Captain Meier provides Close Air Support to protect individuals on the ground.

"You have to be prepared for the situation to go bad at a moment's notice," said Captain Meier about his job. "When things start to go south, you can hear the fear and excitement from the guys on the ground. It's a great thing when the gunfire stops and you can hear the relief in the JTAC's voice."

A moment in Captain Meier's career that sticks out took place when he was deployed to Afghanistan.

"It was in Korengal Valley, these guys were getting shot at from multiple angles and my flight lead and I were able to suppress the fire so they could get out," said the captain who is deployed from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. "All 30 guys on the ground made it back safely. That was a good day."

Captain Meier was introduced to the aviation and space community as a boy. His father works at Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif.

After attending the Air Force Academy and undergraduate pilot training, Captain Meier competed to fly the F-16, which was his first choice, and he has been flying since 2006. Captain Meier has flown in three different combat zones; Afghanistan, Iraq and Libya.

"The best part of my job is the people I work with," said the Altadena, Calif., native. "We deploy as a unit which helps knowing the guy on your wing. We're like one big happy family."

"I love the flying, I love pulling up and looking at the sky and feeling the awesome acceleration. The feeling of freedom flying the F-16 is unbelievable. When it comes down to it, though, the people around you are what you fight for," he continued.

The bond Captain Meier has with his squadron carries on in the air.

"Learning to be a wingman starts at day one during pilot training. When flying, there is always a leader and follower," he said. "Who's in control is not based on rank or position in the squadron; it's based on position in the flight. The guy you see take off first is truly leading that flight."

The hardest part of Captain Meier's job, in his opinion, is balance.

"You can be a great fighter pilot, be very educated or be a great father/husband," he said. "The most difficult thing is to be all three."

When Captain Meier's deployment ends, he will return home to his wife, Becky and his 5-year-old Labrador retriever, Jester.