On this live episode of Mondays with Mover, I interview former F-16 Viper Demo Team Pilot and host of the Afterburn Podcast, John “Rain” Waters. https://www.theafterburnpodcast.com/
Rain’s Bio:
Major John Waters is an Individual Mobilization Augmentee assigned to Shaw AFB. Prior to separating from active duty he led the United States Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team as the Commander and Pilot based at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina. As the F-16 Viper Demonstration Team Commander, he is responsible for representing Air Combat Command, United States Air Force, Department of Defense, and the United States of America at more than 15 air shows annually. He leads the 15-member F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, oversees maintenance actions performed on the Lockheed Martin $43M demo aircraft, and showcases the Viper’s exceptional maneuverability for more than 10 million spectators around the world each year. He is an operational F-16 pilot assigned to the 20th Operations Group, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina.
Major Waters is from Peachtree City, Georgia. He attended Starr’s Mill High School, in Fayetteville, Georgia, graduating in 2003. Following high school, he attended Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia, graduating in 2007 with a Bachelor of Science in International Affairs and earning his commission through the Georgia Institute of Technology’s Reserve Officer Training Program.
Major Waters attended pilot training at Columbus AFB, Mississippi where he earned his wings flying the T-6 Texan II and the T-38C Talon. Major Waters then attended Pilot Instructor Training at Randolph AFB, Texas graduating as a Distinguished Graduate prior to returning to Columbus AFB as First Assignment Instructor Pilot in the T-6 Texan II. While serving as a T-6 Instructor Pilot, Major Waters deployed as a Mission Commander in the MC-12W Liberty, flying 128 combat missions in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM.
Following his assignment at Columbus AFB, Major Waters then completed Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals graduating as a Distinguished Graduate prior to attending F-16 Basic Course at Luke AFB, Arizona. Upon graduation, Major Waters was then assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB, South Carolina as an operational F-16 pilot and flew 53 combat missions in support of Operation INHERENT RESOLVE. Major Waters later served as the Chief of Flight Safety for the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB.
While assigned to the 20th FW he was selected to be the Air Combat Command F-16 Viper Demonstration Pilot. Major Waters is a combat seasoned fighter pilot with over 960 combat hours in the MC-12W and F-16.
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