Internship leads to senior being named F-14 Tomcat captain
Chris Pepple |
Lipscomb University senior John Lominac received the honor of a lifetime at a recent dedication ceremony of the F-14 Tomcat fighter plane at the main entrance of Arnold Engineering Development Center (AEDC) at Arnold Air Force Base. Lominac, a Tullahoma, Tenn., native, had served as an intern in 2006 at the AEDC legal office. During his internship, he learned that the base was obtaining an F/A-18 Hornet aircraft for display. Lominac contacted Navy Commander Frank Moulds, a family acquaintance and commander of the 704th Maintenance Squadron at Arnold, to suggest the possibility of acquiring an F-14 for a static display also.
Lominac, a finance, marketing and economics major, became fascinated with the F-14 as a little boy. “Over the years,” he states, “my interest in the F-14 has continued. I have always appreciated its ability as a fighter.”
After considering Lominac’s request, Commander Moulds was able to secure an F-14 for display. “Within a few months of the Navy giving AEDC the F/A-18, I talked with my friends at the Naval Air Systems Command and at the next meeting they were going to decide what to do with the remaining F-14 fleet,” Cdr. Moulds said. “I immediately thought of John. The next time I saw him, I told him he was going to be responsible for the plane since he continuously asked me about getting one.”
When the plane arrived at AEDC, Moulds named Lominac as the plane captain and had his name painted on the side. This signifies that he is responsible for the upkeep of the aircraft. The F-14 is dedicated to the memory of Lt. Kara Hultgreen, the Navy’s first female carrier-based combat fighter pilot. She was killed in 1994 when she experienced engine failure and crashed in the Pacific Ocean. During the dedication service, Lominac unveiled the bronze plaque honoring Lt. Hultgreen.
“Having my name associated with this magnificent fighter is more than I could have ever hoped for,” he said. “However, it is an even greater privilege to have been a small part in the dedication of this aircraft to Lt. Hultgreen who helped change military aviation history.”
Lominac never realized that an internship at AEDC would lead to being named captain of an F-14. “Working in the AEDC Legal Office gave me a variety of invaluable work experiences in the legal field,” he said. “I was involved in legal matters such as claims, wills and legal research. I had the opportunity to realize the importance of the different areas of law such as environmental and contract law.”
As a result of being involved in the acquisition of a Navy plane and being influenced by his internship in the legal office, Lominac is now planning to pursue his master’s degree at Lipscomb University, then a law degree, and possibly, a military career.