Burning holes in the sky

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Andrea F. Liechti
  • 2nd Bomb Wing Public Affairs
His journey began more than 25 years ago. At the age of 17, the dark-featured, athletically built teenager signed his first contract with the U.S. Navy. He entered active-duty fresh out of high school on June 3, 1987.

Retired Major Christopher L. Lucas from New Iberia, La., spent the next 24 years of his life 100 percent committed to the military, his mission and his country. He tells stories with excitement making it obvious he has no regrets.

"We were just burning holes in the sky," Lucas said as he explained his first big accomplishment as a Naval Aircrewman. "Our job was to continuously fly a set pattern and report electronic signals we picked up."

Before Desert Storm, Lucas spent hours studying radar signatures and when two Iraqi patrol boats left port, he recognized the signals right away. His expert listening skills and superb knowledge of that particular enemy signal led to their sinking and earned Lucas a Navy Achievement Medal.

The young Naval Aircrewman spent four and a half years as an enlisted part of the military before heading off to college so he could become an officer. His ultimate goal at that point in his career was to become a Naval officer and fly aircraft.

Lucas earned a bachelor's degree in journalism with an emphasis in public affairs from the University of Mississippi and was commissioned an Ensign in the Navy in 1995.
As an officer, he said he always treated enlisted with more respect than he had received, recalling a particular situation when he was a young enlisted Naval Aircrewman manning a gate.

To this day, Lucas can still remember that officer's full name. Drivers were supposed to stop at the gate and show their identification. If the drivers were officers, the men at the gate would render a salute. That day, the scenario didn't quite play out that way because this officer failed to stop at the gate.

"The car sped right past the gate," he said. "When the officer stopped his car, he got out and ran up to me yelling because I hadn't saluted."

After calming him down, Lucas wrote the officer up for improper entry. The officer wasn't fond of him after that, he said.

Lucas spent eight years as a Naval officer before seeking opportunity in another branch of service.

"Prospects for advancement were higher in the Air Force," he said. "The B-52s needed someone with experience."

As an officer in the Air Force, the final nine years of Lucas' military career were spent stationed here at Barksdale, Fort Benning, Ga., and then back at Barksdale again. During his second tour here, he deployed with the 20th Bomb Squadron to Diego Garcia for B-52 missions over Afghanistan, to Foreward Operating Base Hammer in Iraq, and to Bagram Air Base, Afghanistan.

One of his deployment jobs overseas was working for the Combined Special Operations Task Force coordinating scheduled and time-sensitive close air support for in-extremis troops and dynamically targeting enemy heavy weapons.

"We obliterated them," he said. "There's no better satisfaction than knowing you've done the best job you can keeping weapons out of enemy hands."

During a flight over Afghanistan, Lucas' crew had the opportunity to aid members of the 20th Special Forces Group by responding to a "Troops in Contact" situation. The Special Forces team lost one soldier during the engagement, but was able to withdraw without further casualties.

While deployed to Bagram as an Air Liaison Officer, Lucas met the SOF team his B-52 crew aided that day.

"To meet someone you helped save leaves you with quite a feeling," he said. "Words can't describe it."

Lucas is filled with stories of close-calls, saves, enemy encounters and lessons he's learned along the way. His 24 years of military service left him with some important advice for everyone to consider, enlisted and officers alike.

"An enlisted Airman should never lose sight that he is the backbone of the organization," he said. "I don't know how ideological kids are these days, but officers are not gods. They are not perfect. No one is perfect. Just do what you are supposed to do and try not to crumble."

Lucas did just that throughout his career and retired from Barksdale as the 2nd Operations Support Squadron assistant director of operations for conventional plans on Nov. 18.
His former commander, Lt. Col. James Denton, enjoyed working with Lucas and watching him interact with Airmen.

"Major Lucas was an exceptional warrior and servant to our nation," Denton said. "He mentored our Airmen and provided them with a rare war-fighter's perspective and experience. We will definitely miss him."