615th CRW commander flies final flight of career

  • Published
  • By 1st Lt. Nicole Langley
  • 615th Contingency Response Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  With his family, friends and members of Team Travis gathered outside base operations Sept. 22, Col. Anthony Hinen, 615th Contingency Response Wing commander, made his final approach and landed a U.S. Air Force aircraft for the last time of his 27-year career. 

"It feels great!" said Colonel Hinen as he celebrated with the group after deplaning. 

A memorable ending to a career that began in 1981 when he commissioned from the U.S. Air Force Academy, the colonel's 'fini flight' was flown in one of the base's C-17 Globemaster III aircraft. 

Prior to parking, Colonel Hinen stopped the aircraft for a few moments under the ceremonial arch of water sprayed by two base fire trucks. 

The C-17 was not alone in getting wet. 

Upon completing a 'fini flight,' the tradition is to drench the pilot, and that tradition continued with Colonel Hinen. After deplaning, he was promptly soaked by members of the awaiting group with water guns and bottles of sparkling cider. 

The 'fini flight' was just one of several special events marking the end of the colonel's career and command of the 615th CRW. Members of the base and local community will bid farewell to the commander at a dinner in his honor Sept. 22, and the wing will formally say goodbye during the wing's change-of-command and the colonel's retirement ceremony at 10 a.m. Sept. 23 at Building 924.