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Canadian Forces captain, Collingwood native, directs air battle space for Southwest Asia AWACS missions

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol
  • 380th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
SOUTHWEST ASIA --  Growing up in a town nestled on the southern shores of Georgian Bay of Lake Huron, Canadian Forces Capt. Chis Horner said he was "probably 5 years old" when he knew he wanted to join the military.

"According to what my mother tells me, I used to dress up in old fatigues and run around with a helmet on," said Captain Horner, whose hometown is Collingwood, Ontario, Canada. "Apparently that's when I decided I wanted to be a soldier at some point."

Now many years later, Captain Horner serves as an E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System Senior Director deployed with the 965th Expeditionary Airborne Air Control Squadron at a non-disclosed in Southwest Asia. He is deployed from the 965th AACS of Tinker Air Force Base, Okla., where he and nearly 50 other Canadian Forces members serve as co-manners as part of the North American Aerospace Defense Command agreement. For the past several years, Canadian Airmen like Captain Horner have been able to deploy with units from Tinker's 552nd Air Control Wing.

As the senior director, or senior weapons officer, on an E-3 Sentry, Captain Horner leads the weapons section, comprised of air weapons officers and himself, who are in charge of controlling aircraft. The captain said having Canadian Forces on combat AWACS missions add a different perspective to operations.

"Whether it's combat training sorties or real sorties for Operation Enduring Freedom, we fill the same billet as a USAF officer," Captain Horner said. "I find that what we bring to the fight is possibly a little bit more experience than some of the junior lieutenants and junior captains the USAF provides. Bringing that experience and that little extra leadership, or the different style of leadership, into a theater like this is helpful. It gives a different perspective on how we fight to allow the U.S. Air Force and the Americans to see the war from different angles and not just in the one they were trained in. I think it's helpful."

Captain Horner joined the Canadian Forces after graduating from the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. He said he always wanted to serve as an air weapons officer.

"I really wanted to attend the Royal Military College -- the equivalent of your West Point," Captain Horner said. "Once I was accepted into our Royal Military College, I wanted to go into this career field as an air weapons officer from an early age -- the age of 18. So, I'm doing exactly what I wanted. At 11 and a half years in at this point, this is kind of the culmination of all of my training in getting to do the job and controlling air assets and battle management of what I wanted to do back when I was 18."

Captain Horner said when he and his fellow crew members are out on a combat sortie, the only concern any of them has is for supporting the troops on the ground.

"On any given day we're out there, we could be protecting the Marines, a Canadian special forces unit, an American special forces unit, the Dutch, the Germans or the British," Captain Horner said. "They are all soldiers on the ground and they are the ones serving as the pointed end of the sword versus us playing a supporting role and helping them to get support from the air.

"While it is comforting knowing I have Canadian soldiers on the ground who are helping the fight but it's all of the allies who are helping as well," said Captain Horner, whose hometown is Collingwood, Ontario. "When we step out of the door to do our job, essentially I know that I am going to help out whoever needs our help on the ground by providing them with the close air support they need to accomplish their mission."

The captain is also deployed with four other Canadian Forces members. He said to have them around helps make the deployment that much better, but he really sees everyone as "one team."

"Being able to go into theater with my brothers in arms of the 965th on the American side, and also those who are Canadian, is a great opportunity," he said. "One team, one fight is a fantastic motto and certainly applies here."

The 965th EAACS is an attached unit of the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing. The 380th AEW is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia.