JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-Randolph, Texas – Two 340th Flying Training Group instructor pilots will be featured in the Air Force Reserve's Profiles in Leadership, Volume 6.
Selected for their exceptional performance, selfless sacrifices, and exemplary leadership skills were Maj. Christine Wagner, chief instructor pilot, T-1A schoolhouse, 39th Flying Training Squadron, Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, and Maj. Krissi Hrupek, T-6 instructor pilot, 96th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas.
In addition to representing the Reserve component in online features, poster exhibits of each selectee will be mounted in the Pentagon's fifth floor A-Ring for a year beginning in December. Wagner and Hrupek join fellow 340th Profiles alumni from Volume 3, Lt. Col. Christina Hopper, 5th FTS, Vance AFB, Okla., and from Volume 5, Lt. Col. Matthew Cummins, 70th FTS, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., and Senior Master Sgt. Vianca Contreras, 97th FTS, Sheppard AFB, Texas.
Wagner's and Hrupek's nomination narratives are below:
Active Guard and Reserve Citizen Airman Maj. Christine Wagner, Chief Instructor Pilot, T-1A schoolhouse
Maj. Christine Wagner never imagined she could be an Air Force pilot, much less make an impact on an entire generation of them, but as a University of Arizona AF Reserve Officer Training Corps cadet, her Navy-veteran father encouraged her to apply, opening a door to a magical career. Following specialized undergraduate pilot training in 2008, she was selected as a T-1A first assignment instructor pilot, a testament to exceptional skill. Twelve years later, with 3,500 hours in the C-17A and the T-1A, she continues to instruct and mentor Regular Air Force and Reserve pilots as a full time Reservist in the 39th Flying Training Squadron. Transitioning to the Reserve in 2018, as assistant director of operations and assistant flight commander, she manages pay, production and participation needs for the 22 Reserve pilots in her care, freeing them to focus on student needs. The epitome of Total Force Integration, she brought significant expertise to bear in developing the new T-1A syllabi, instructing the advanced instructor concepts course, and building the 19th Air Force master aviator instructor course; a critical AF initiative. The seasoned evaluator pilot – who fluidly balances her roles as an Airman, a full-time mom of two and spouse to a fellow Reserve instructor pilot – was recently named the T-1A schoolhouse chief instructor pilot, which enables her to focus on instructor development and student training. She'll tell you, whether her kids or America's Airmen, she loves to teach, and is incredibly grateful for the opportunity to serve her country while remaining dedicated to her family.
Traditional Reserve Citizen Airman Major Krissi Hrupek, T-6 Instructor Pilot
Maj. Krissi Hrupek, a traditional Reserve Citizen Airman and T-6 instructor pilot assigned to the 96th Flying Training Squadron, Laughlin AFB, Texas, is the essence of a Renaissance Airman. Formerly a Regular Air Force KC-135 pilot, the major accepted a commission in the Regular Air Force, and later transitioned to the Reserve, accepting an instructor pilot opening at Laughlin. Raising three kids and serving alongside her active duty husband, an A-10 squadron commander, she views her key spouse role as an opportunity to unite and support more than 200 members and their families, coordinating homecoming initiatives for 318 members returning from deployments and navigating through COVID-19 restrictions to maintain unit cohesion and communication. In her professional life, she graduated from an empowerment and resilience coaching course with a focus on guiding women veterans beyond military service. As a result, she co-founded a service academy women’s organization, a mentorship network and program that benefits more than 9,000 women veterans. Additionally, the major is a stand-out instructor pilot, essential to training, who is mentoring 420 T-6 aircraft student pilots annually. A critical member of her flight, she consistently volunteers to assist with evaluation and decoration creation and review and other tasks focused on improving her teammates' careers. Citizen servant, warrior, pilot, instructor, mentor, motivator, neighbor, wife and mom: Maj. Krissi Hrupek is doing it all, and she's doing it well.
To read about previous years' Profiles in Leadership selectees, visit the Air Force Reserve Command's Profiles page at https://www.afrc.af.mil/About-Us/Profiles-in-Leadership/.