Notre Dame alum currently flying for the U.S. Air Force says Memorial Day and Veterans Day are good reminders to appreciate the sacrifices of many who came before him.
Notre Dame alum Nick Hafner NDP’10 is with his F-16 fighter jet at Osan Air Base in South Korea. The plane is part of the 36th Fighter Squadron.
"My college experience was a little more on the unconventional side when compared to what a 'normal' college experience would be," said the 2010 Notre Dame Prep graduate. "I enrolled in the Air Force Academy back in 2010 and graduated in 2014. With a minimal military background, it took a while to get over the initial culture shock of being placed in a completely new environment compared to any experience I had up to that point."
He said that while the first years in the Academy were difficult, he eventually started to settle in and become accustomed to this new way of life. He ended up graduating from the Air Force Academy with a major in physics and a minor in Russian.
"While I was at the Academy, I also took part in various extracurricular activities by being the captain of the powerlifting team, becoming an instructor pilot and spin instructor in the glider program that flew TG-16 sailplanes, operating a drone in the drone program, and taking part in various other military programs," he recalled. "Also, I was lucky enough to travel around the United States on various temporary duty assignments and even spent a month in Russia studying at a university in Petrozavodsk."
Hafner eventually graduated with a pilot slot after which he enrolled in pilot training at Vance AFB in Enid, Okla. There he competed with 23 others in flying the T-6 turboprop aircraft to get one of the four T-38 slots available to train on fighters jets. After ranking No. 1 at the end of T-6 training, he began flying the T-38, which is a two-seat, twinjet supersonic jet trainer. He was then assigned to fly F-16 fighters and moved to Holloman AFB in New Mexico to start training on that aircraft. After completing the initial training in 2017, he went to survival school and moved to Osan AFB in South Korea in May of 2017. He says now he's stationed at a base in Italy starting and continues to fly the F-16.
Hafner is the pilot in the F-16 at the upper right corner of the photo, which was taken in 2018 when North Korea’s Kim Jong Un let UN forces retrieve the remains of Allied fighters who died in the Korean War in the 50s. Hafner joined other pilots in escorting a C-17 military transport aircraft from North Korea and this photo shows the moment the friendly warriors who died in the Korean War are finally back over friendly soil for the first time in 60-plus years.
"My time spent in South Korea was a little uneasy at times as I was stationed here during the North Korea missile test launches back in 2017 when tensions were rapidly rising," Hafner said. "But the assignment was an amazing experience as I completed my four-ship flight lead training and I was the instructor pilot in the greatest fighter squadron in the world, the 36th!"
Hafner said he loves what he's doing but he's always cognizant of the ultimate sacrifice made by many of those who came before him, especially when America celebrates the Memorial Day and Veterans Day holidays.
"Memorial Day definitely has had deeper meaning to me since joining the military and being out in the combat Air Force with other military members who have been in for a while," he said. "In my fighter squadron, the 36th, we have a lot of drawings, paintings and plaques of those who were MIA/KIA throughout our squadron’s 102 years."
Even though he passed by them often, days like Memorial Day, he says, are still a good time for him to think about priorities and appreciate everything he has.
"I’ve been fortunate enough not to have any close friends pay the ultimate sacrifice, but coworkers and other fighter pilots who I fly with who've been to the Middle East know some who didn’t make it back," he said. "We actually took some time this weekend to keep their legacy alive. I also think I am fortunate to be able to train and become more tactically proficient every flight in order to honor the legacy of the squadron and all its members past and present. It's truly been an honor and I wouldn’t trade it for anything."
Hafner also says he wouldn't trade his high school experience for any other.
"I actually attribute my success at the Air Force Academy directly to the habits, patterns and lessons learned at ND Prep," he said. "The academic workload along with the robust sports program taught me crucial skills of prioritization, time management, and the efficient use of my studying and training in order to maximize readiness for any possible tasks. Had it not been for the opportunities given to me by attending ND Prep, I would have started in a grossly disadvantageous position in college and would have had to work much harder than I did in order to meet the standards set by my peers."
Hafner, top center, was in charge of flying four U.S. jets recently with a Korean fighter squadron for a week. This photo shows the U.S. pilots with the South Korean 555th fighter squadron.
"Like many others back then, I really didn’t know what I wanted to do with my career, or life, even as a junior in high school," he said. "In fact, the college fair at ND Prep was the first time I'd heard about the Air Force Academy and I believe it was the main reason I am where I am today."
He said he knew even back in high school that he didn’t want to work in a cubicle or at a desk, didn’t want to wear a tie and, plus, he liked the color green, "so I figured going to the Air Force Academy and trying to get a pilot slot was what I wanted to do with my life. I definitely attribute having such a competitive resúme when applying to different colleges to ND Prep’s academic curriculum and reputation. I believe those skills and strengths have aided me in this 'job,' and I also think the sports programs at NDP helped me with the athleticism and decision-making under pressure that are really necessary in the jet every time I fly."
Now looking forward, Hafner said he's hoping for continued good fortune in the Air Force.
"For the time being, fingers crossed, we don’t push north into North Korea and perhaps I can continue to live life out in Europe for a few years," he said.
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About Notre Dame
Notre Dame is a private, Catholic, independent, coeducational day school located in Oakland County. Notre Dame Preparatory School enrolls students in grades nine through twelve and has been named one of the nation's best 50 Catholic high schools (Acton Institute) four times since 2005. Notre Dame's lower and middle schools enroll students in pre-kindergarten through grade eight. NDPMA is an International Baccalaureate "World School" and is conducted by the Marist Fathers and Brothers. It is accredited by the Independent Schools Association of the Central States and the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement. For more on Notre Dame, visit the school's home page at www.ndpma.org