CHAMPION Major speaks to TCTC students

The major spoke as part of the school's celebration of Veterans Day.
By PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
CHAMPION -- At first, the bright flashes of light ahead of him added excitement to an otherwise routine mission.
But, it didn't take long for Air Force Maj. Jeff Vandootingh to realize that the C-130 plane in which he was the navigator was being attacked.
"We were going to Panama as part of Operation Just Cause and it was the middle of the night," Vandootingh told students at Trumbull Career and Technical Center on Wednesday.
"We had our night-vision goggles on and I noticed what appeared to be fireworks. At first I thought, "neat," but it didn't take long to realize that it was not so neat."
Quick thinking on behalf of the crew helped them escape the enemy fire.
"When we landed, we saw that there were 30 holes on our plane," Vandootingh said.
Larry Crawford, TCTC superintendent, said Vandootingh was asked to speak to the students as part of the school's celebration of Veterans Day.
"He's an excellent speaker who is able to tell the students firsthand what it's like to serve our country," Crawford said.
Blessed to serve
Despite the "sheer moments of terror," Vandootingh, a Sandusky native who lives in Howland, said he feels blessed to be part of the Air Force.
"To me, it's more like a hobby that I get paid for," the Air Force Academy graduate said. He said he has traveled around the world.
"I took part in Operation Just Cause in 1989, Operation Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom," Vandootingh said. "I was deployed for six months earlier this year."
In April, Vandootingh and his crew flew to Iraq to drop off Marines.
On the way, he said the crew stopped in Turkey to purchase their "get out of jail free cards."
He showed the students his leather flight jacket that has a picture of the American Flag and a printed message that asks for help.
The message is written in Arabic, Turkish, English, Persian and Kurdish.
"This is used if we are downed in the wrong area and need medical help or transported to friendly troops," Vandootingh said.
"We give this to someone in return for their help. That person can then take it to American authorities for a reward."
sinkovich@vindy.com