From ‘Top Gun’ to Hurlburt AFSOC

HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. - Watching the movie ‘Top Gun’ as a child – and hearing the words from it, “I feel the need, the need for speed!” - made it clear to AF Capt. Holly Mapel she wanted to fly when she grew up. It didn’t hurt that she already had a familiarity with the military growing up as an “Air Force brat.” She’s wanted to join the Air Force “for as long as I can remember,” said Mapel, a combat systems officer and operational flight test director with the 18th Flight Test Squadron (FLTS) at Hurlburt Field. She joined six months out of high school and began a career as an enlisted aircrew flight equipment technician and spent seven years maintaining flight equipment used by Air Force Special Operations Command aircrews. Later, she arrived at Hurlburt Field, where she applied for Officer Training School. After commissioning, she became a combat systems officer (CSO) with a specialization as an electronic warfare officer on the MC-130H Combat Talon II. “I still wanted more” and requested a change to the MC-130J Commando II. The Commando II is flown in covert refueling missions for helicopters and tilt-rotor aircraft. In 2018, Mapel certified as an operational flight test director and came to the 18th FLTS. She now leads a team for planning, execution and reporting phases of tests. They test new/updated equipment on AFSOC aircraft and weapons systems. Mapel enjoys her current duties because it allows her to fulfill her to fly. “Whether I am performing crew duties as a CSO on an MC-130J or executing a test on another AFSOC platform, I get to do what I love.” (Source: 1st Special Operations Wing 03/25/19)