Boudreaux brothers showcase unique careers at Keesler AFB Air Show, Open House

Courtesy Photo | Maj. Joshua Boudreaux, U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds pilot, poses for a photo with his older brother, Lt. Col. Brad Boudreaux, a WC-130J pilot with the 403rd Wing’s 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron. (Courtesy photo)  

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MS, UNITED STATES

03.27.2015

Story by Maj. Marnee Losurdo 

403rd Wing

KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. -- For two brothers who grew up in the small town of Covington, Louisiana, their passion for flying led them to extraordinary careers in the Air Force. Both will take part in the Keesler Air Force Base Air Show and Open House March 28-29.

Community members can look to the sky to see Maj. Joshua Boudreaux, the left wing pilot flying the No. 2 jet for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds out of Nellis AFB, Nevada. His brother, Lt. Col. Brad Boudreaux, a WC-130J pilot with the 403rd Wing's 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron here, is a Hurricane Hunter and can be found on the ground working the event as an Air Show and Open House Thunderbird project officer.

The Boudreaux brothers said they look forward to the Keesler event as air shows are one of the few opportunities they get to see each other. Last year, they saw each other four times at air shows, with Josh performing and Brad either attending as part of the audience or manning one of the Hurricane Hunters' static displays.

There wasn't much military presence where the brothers grew up, but their journey to the Air Force began with Brad, a neighbor who worked for Delta Airlines, an unforgettable flight with Uncle LB Porter, or Uncle BB, and the 1986 hit movie Top Gun.

Brad was born in Monroe, Louisiana, Delta's home from 1925 to 1941. Their neighbor was a Delta pilot who had also flown for the military first ignited his interest in flying, he said.

His love of flying intensified in high school, when his Uncle BB, who worked as a mechanic at one of the airfields near Texas A & M University took him flying for the first time in his own plane.

"As soon as I got up in air and looked down, I thought it was the coolest thing in the world," said Brad, who went on to earn his pilot's license just out of high school. "And then I said to my uncle, 'People get paid to do this?' And, when he said yes, I said, 'Well, that's what I want to do.'"

During his junior year in high school, Brad was watching a rerun of his favorite movie, Top Gun, with his father, George Boudreaux, a pharmacist who created the well-known diaper rash cream Boudreaux's Butt Paste. His father had been a supply officer in the Louisiana Army National Guard.

"My dad said, 'Wouldn't you like to do something like that?' I looked at him and said, 'Yeah, but how can I do that?' My dad told me, 'Just go do it. I can put you in touch with a recruiter, and you can talk to him.'"

The rest is history. In 1989, Brad joined the 159th Fighter Wing, Louisiana Air National Guard, in New Orleans, at 17 during his senior year of high school. He went to basic training and technical school in 1990 and was a crew chief repairing F-15s for the next seven years. While enlisted, he attended Northeast Louisiana University, making the six-hour drive to work on drill weekends. He earned his bachelor's degree in aviation in 1994, received a commission with the Air Force in 1997, and became a B-52 pilot stationed at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. He deployed to Diego Garcia and Guam flying missions into Afghanistan and has more than 4,000 flying hours, including 360 combat hours. He transferred to the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters in 2007 and has served as the squadron chief scheduler, chief of deployed operations, instructor pilot, and director of inspections for the 403rd Wing Inspector General Office.

As a Hurricane Hunter, he flies into storms that pilots are trained to avoid. Using the WC-130J, a modified C-130J Hercules aircraft with specialized weather equipment, the 53rd WRS collects weather data for the National Hurricane Center, which assists in improving its forecast models. The unit is the only Department of Defense organization that does the unique mission, which generates a lot of media interest.

Brad Boudreaux was one of several unit members highlighted on the Weather Channel's "Hurricane Hunters," which documented squadron members conducting the mission from 2011 to 2013.

The series gave viewers insight into what it's like to fly in a hurricane, a common question people ask. Every storm is different, much like their names, he said. Whatever Mother Nature throws his way, Brad said he loves flying and his job.

"It's the thrill of doing something that very few people get to do; that's awesome," he said, adding that the Hurricane Hunters will display two WC-130Js at the air show and open house. There are only 10 in the world, all at Keesler.

While Brad was working his way toward his goal of becoming a pilot, his brother Josh, who is 10 years younger, was watching.

"He took me out to the base when he was a 20-year-oldenlisted guy, and I got to see F-15s for the first time," said the major. "That just seemed like a really cool thing to do and a lot of fun. So, that's where I started my path."

At 15, Josh got his pilot's license, taking his older brother's advice to start as soon as possible.

"I just loved flying," said Josh, adding that he knew then he wanted to fly as a career.

When Brad was in pilot training at Columbus, he brought his friends home to see his family in Louisiana.

"I talked to his friends, and a lot of them attended the Air Force Academy," Josh said, adding that at the time he'd never considered going anywhere but Louisiana State University.

So, he did his research.

"I found out you had to get real good grades, high SAT or ACT scores and be well-rounded," said Josh who was a member of the student council and wrestling team in high school. "I thought I might have a chance."

He thought right. He was accepted to LSU; Massachusetts Institute of Technology, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Military Academy, and U.S. Naval Academy, but chose to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

"I was happy I had a choice," he said. "I was on the fence as to whether I should go Navy or Air Force, and [Brad] definitely swayed me more toward the Air Force. I'm glad I made that choice. It was a great university."

Josh, in his third season with the Thunderbirds, graduated from the Academy in 2003 with a degree in mechanical engineering and math. While a cadet, he was a collegiate wrestler and competition glider pilot. Before joining the Thunderbirds, Josh was an F-16 instructor pilot and flight commander for the 555th Fighter Squadron at Aviano Air Base, Italy. He has logged more than 2,800 flight hours as an Air Force pilot and took part in military operations in Libya and Afghanistan. He has more than 400 hours of combat experience in the F-16C.

While stationed at Aviano, the major saw a video about the work the Thunderbirds did with local fallen warriors at air shows. Every time the Thunderbirds fly, they place a fallen warrior's name on one of their jets and dedicate the show to the fallen service member's family to let them know their loved one's sacrifices haven't been forgotten.

"I thought it was a great team and wanted to be a part of it," he said. The application process took six months -- 50 applied, 12 got an interview, six got a second interview, and Josh was one of the three who made the team in 2012.

The major is on the road with his team 220 days a year. The days are long, but says he enjoys the job, especially working with the families of the fallen warriors, Make a Wish program, school visits and interacting with the public.

"It's humbling," said the younger Boudreaux. "We meet so many great people who have served and currently serve in our Air Force. You never know who you are going to run across and what kind of impact you are going to have.

"And sometimes that's tough, especially with young children," he said. "A lot of them put on a very tough exterior, especially when you go and do the high school visits and you have an auditorium of 500 students. However, one of us may appeal to one of those individuals and if we can make a difference in their lives every Friday when we go and do school visits, then, to me, it's worth it. Someone needs to be out there to tell our future, these students, that they need to strive for something better and bigger than themselves, and if I can show that by flying an F-16 around the sky with smoke behind it, then that's great."

Another rewarding aspect of his job is seeing his brother.

"One of the nice things of being pilot is, in addition to getting training or doing the mission, by going to these different places I get to meet my brother. I get to brag about him and he usually does the same. We are very proud of one another."

"I'm proud of how motivated he is and of all his accomplishments," said Brad. "He motivates me to be a better person."

To see the air show and open house lineup, visit http://www.keesler.af.mil/library/keeslerairshowandopenhouse/index.asp

• Date Taken: 03.27.2015
• Date Posted: 12.30.2016 12:29
• Story ID: 219089
• Location: KEESLER AIR FORCE BASE, MS, US