From the cockpit to the saddle

COLUMBUS AFB, Miss. – Andrea Matesick grew up riding horses as a kid in Northern California, but put her dream of riding professionally on hold to enlist, and later be commissioned an officer, into the Air Force. Only in 2013, while stationed at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, did now-Maj. Matesick - an F-15E Weapons System Officer and instructor at the 49th Fighter Training Squadron on Columbus AFB, Miss. - would reach out to the Air Force Sports program after learning she could still be an F-15E Strike Eagle and travel the U.S. competing in professional equestrian events. “(The process) took me a while to figure out,” she said. “But if you’re competing in an Olympic sport and you’re competing at a certain level, the Air Force will let you go compete for them.” Matesick is only one of two Airmen that represent the Air Force in professional equestrian competitions. (Source: Columbus AFB 05/22/19)