- B-52 Pilot Shares Experience, Contributions
U.S. Air Force Maj. Andrea Jensen, 40th Expeditionary Group B-52 pilot, performs pre-flight checks in a B-52 Stratofortress. Jensen has accumulated 100 combat flying hours providing close air support for troops on the ground in Afghanistan in the B-52. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Master Sgt. John Rohrer)
By Master Sgt. Scott King - 40th Air Expeditionary Group Public Affairs
OPERATION ENDURING FREEDOM, March 20, 2006 — She follows Air Force history – through her family’s footsteps. Her dad, and his brother and sisters grew up in an Air Force family, having nothing but great things to say about the way of life the Air Force had to offer.
Maj. Andrea Jensen, a forward deployed B-52 pilot with the 40th Air Expeditionary Group, said she has had a love of planes since she can remember. On her first assignment as a second lieutenant, she decided to turn that love of planes into reality while she was at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.
“I was working as project engineer, for what is now the Air Force Research Lab, at Edwards,” she said. “When I got the chance, I would step outside and watch all the flying activity. I especially enjoyed watching the SR-71 and the C-17 – that’s when I decided to trade my lab job for a career in the cockpit.”
The native of Minnesota earned her pilot’s license while in high school, but thought at the time it would always be a hobby. Now, she has accumulated more than 100 combat hours flying the Stratofortress above the skies of Afghanistan.
“This is the first time I’ve been able to apply my skills as a pilot in a combat environment,” Jensen said. “Providing close air support for our U.S. and coalition ground troops using the B-52 platform allows our ground forces to get some sleep at night – our presence in the air is vital for their sustainment and well being.”
Her schooling has been her stepping-stone into the B-52. She graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and was commissioned from the Air Force ROTC program in 1995. While at Edwards, she applied for pilot training, was accepted, and graduated from Laughlin Air Force Base’s, Texas Undergraduate Pilot Training in 1999.
Her first assignment as a pilot was at Laughlin where she flew as a T-37 instructor pilot. Following her assignment there, she moved on to Barksdale Air Force Base, La., and attended B-52 Initial Qualification Training. In May 2004 she graduated as an aircraft commander, and joined the 20th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale.
With relatively short time in the B-52, about two years, Jensen said she feels her role as a pilot supporting Operation Enduring Freedom pays dividends through deterrence.
“Our task is different from day-to-day over Afghanistan,” she said. “At times, we are asked by the Joint Terminal Attack Controllers on the ground, to provide a show of force by coming in low and dropping flares. Other times, when requested, we actually drop bombs – either way, we always have successful effects against the enemy.
“The controllers are extremely professional at what they do,” she added. “They bring a calm demeanor, in the midst of chaotic conditions on the ground. Up in the air, we’re pretty far removed from what’s happening on the ground – I’m just happy we can assist when our forces are in harms way.”
The role and history of women in the Air Force is both impressive and extensive. Jensen said she hopes to make her mark in this history.
“From my perspective, it’s easy to take the role of women in the military for granted,” she said. “More than a decade has passed since women first flew in combat. I really appreciate all the contributions women have made over the years that got us where we are today. Women don’t yet have complete equality in all facets of military operations, and I don’t know if we’ll ever truly reach completely equitable conditions. But from my perspective, being a successful officer and pilot is not about being male or female – it’s about doing your job as best you can.”
