Reps. August Pfluger, Mike Garcia, Scott Franklin, and Jake Ellzey Launch MACH 1 Caucus

Representatives Mike Garcia (R-CA), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Jake Ellzey (R-TX) and I announced the launch of the MACH 1 Caucus, which will serve as a group of Members dedicated to policy issues important to the fighter pilot community and educating other Members on these issues.

I graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy and am a former U.S. Air Force Fighter Pilot. I defended this country in uniform for nearly two decades as a decorated fighter pilot flying F-15 and F-22 Raptors and logging over 300 combat hours while commanding hundreds of airmen as well as serving in the Pentagon and NATO. I also served as an advisor to President Trump on the National Security Council and am a Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.

“It is an honor to launch the MACH 1 caucus with my fellow fighter pilots in Congress,” I said. “As Airmen, we will be the champions of AirPower ensuring the United States military is ready for all present and future threats. AirPower has been integral to every conflict since WWI and we must never take for granted the innovation and forward thinking approaches to war that Airmen are responsible for. I am proud to represent Goodfellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas which trains some of the best intelligence officers in the world. We as fighter pilots could not complete our mission without the intelligence officers from Goodfellow."

Rep. Garcia graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a former U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot. He was one of the first in the U.S. Navy to fly F/A-18 Super Hornets. While on active duty, Rep. Garcia flew over 30 combat missions during Operation Iraqi Freedom in the skies above Baghdad, Fallujah, and Tikrit. Rep. Garcia and Rep. Ellzey flew in combat operations together during the Global War on Terror. Rep. Garcia’s district is also home to Plant 42 as well as other crucial aerospace industry partners, and neighbors Edwards Air Force Base.

“I’m thrilled to join my fellow fighter pilots in Congress in launching this new caucus,” said Rep. Garcia. “The work done within this caucus will not only benefit the fighter pilot community itself but will help advance our nation’s national security. Not only is the fighter pilot community near and dear to my heart, but my district is home to a thriving hub of aerospace industries, including Plant 42 in Palmdale, as well as home to many fighter pilots stationed at the neighboring Edwards Air Force Base. I look forward to working in Congress to improve policies impacting our supersonic community.”

Rep. Franklin graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a retired naval aviator. He flew jets from the decks of 13 aircraft carriers during 26 years of service, including 14 years on active duty, followed by 12 years in the reserves. He deployed to the Mediterranean, Persian Gulf, and North Atlantic, and participated in combat operations in the Persian Gulf, Bosnia and Kosovo. He was recalled to active duty twice after 9/11 with U.S. Central Command.“It’s an honor to join my fellow military jet aviators in Congress to launch the MACH 1 Caucus," said Rep. Franklin. "I look forward to working together as we apply our military knowledge and experiences to develop policy and educate our colleagues on issues and needs that are critical to our nation’s Air Power."

Rep. Ellzey graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy and is a former U.S. Navy Fighter Pilot. He flew H-60 helicopters, F-14 Tomcats, F/A-18 Hornets, and Super Hornets. Rep. Ellzey has logged 830 carrier landings, and he served a tour as a Joint Terminal Attack Controller on the ground embedded with Navy SEALs. He was deployed nine times during his military career with five combat tours over Afghanistan and two in Iraq.  Following his tour as Commanding Officer of Strike Fighter Squadron, he served as the Air Boss on the USS Ronald Reagan.

"I am grateful to stand alongside my fellow fighter pilots to launch the MACH 1 caucus in Congress," said Rep. Ellzey. "We will be working on common goals to ensure the safety of the United States and to maintain the air superiority we have had since WWI. Not only is aviation a vital part of our national security, but it is also an important industry in Texas' 6th district where we are home to some of the greatest aerospace facilities in the nation."