Nellis maintainer launches 100th F-35 mission Published Aug. 28, 2012 TEAM EGLIN PUBLIC AFFAIRS EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- Staff Sgt. Shaun Whittington, of the 57th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, marshals in his F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter after its sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Aug. 16. The sortie marked the 100th F-35A mission flown at Eglin, but also was Whittington's first time launching the new aircraft. Whittington is one of three maintainers from Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., being trained on the F-35. Once their training is complete, they'll provide maintenance support to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron's F-35 fleet. The 422nd is a geographically separated unit of the 53rd Wing, headquartered at Eglin.
