Former U-28A Draco pilot Mike Kittrell speaks about Capt. Ryan Hall, Ratchet 33 flight commander at Hurlburt Field, Florida, Dec. 17, 2025. Ratchet 33, a U-28A Draco assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing, crashed Feb. 18, 2012. All four crew members lost their lives. The aftermath of that mission changed the way the 1 SOW conducts covert aerial operations. (U.S. Air Force video by Airman 1st Class Samantha Rossi)
At 4:30 a.m., while most of Hurlburt Field is still dark and quiet, a security forces handler assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing begins his shift. He checks his gear, reviews the night’s incidents and prepares for a long day of patrol. But before he heads out, he makes sure his partner is ready.
That partner doesn’t grab a radio or lace up boots. He waits patiently in a kennel, tail thumping against the gate.
