June 1, 2009

B-52 pilot leaving service to see the world

Air Force departee plans global mission.

By John Andrew Prime
jprime@gannett.com

Many people join the military to see the world. Brook Sweitzer is leaving the Air Force for the same reason.

On Friday, he pinned on the bronze leaves of a major, making the big jump from captain, usually the longest wait between promotions for officers.

But he also has given his notice to the Air Force that he’s resigning after 10 years.

“Friday (was) my last duty day,” said Sweitzer, who has been with the 2nd Bomb Wing since 2001, with the exception of 2003 to 2006, when he was in Italy serving in a liaison role with the Army. “Technically, I’ll be on active duty the next three months, but it’s all leave, and I’ll be traveling all that time.”

The 32-year-old B-52 pilot with the 20th Bomb Squadron at Barksdale Air Force Base is leaving secure employment as a B-52 pilot to chase his “bucket list,” which includes travel he hasn’t gotten through Uncle Sam.

“I try to enjoy life and do what I can,” said Sweitzer, originally from Utah. “I’ve got a lot of ideas and dreams I want to do in life, and this is my first big chance to do that. I’ve got some savings. I’ve paid off all my debts and I don’t have ties. I’m not married, don’t have kids, no pets. I can make this leap. I don’t have enough that I can travel around for years and years, but enough that I can do it for a year or so.”

He wants to visit every country in the world, starting with Japan and working his way through the Far East.

“China’s the place where I’m probably going to spend a month, it’s so big,” he said. “I could travel place to place. But it’s hard to learn or grasp a new culture, savor a new environment in such a brief time. I’d like to spend a decent amount of time in each spot.”

Sweitzer accumulated almost 1,700 flight hours, with about 1,400 of those in the B-52.

“Maybe one day I will try to get back in the Air Force, if they will take me,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind doing another 10 years or more. The folks I work with have been extremely supportive of me. My colleagues all have been helpful. They all have different dreams too.”

His parents, both with ties to the military, support his dream, but with different takes.

His father, David Sweitzer, of Ogden, Utah, “is a dreamer, sort of like me,” the flier says. “He was a staff sergeant stationed at Clark Air Force Base (in the Philippine Islands) during the Vietnam War. He thinks it’s a wonderful thing if that’s what I really want to do. He says I’m young, I can do this and then go into a completely different career path.

But mom Sandra Sweitzer, who lives in Salt Lake City, “who retires from the Navy Reserve next month, is supportive, but thinks it is a ‘foolish mistake,’ her words. She says ‘You’ve been in 10 years, it’s only 10 more’ until retirement. My take on it is I am not getting any younger. This is a break where I can do some of the things I’ve wanted to do my whole life.”