Habitat Tucson’s construction crews’ occupational skills run the gamut, from doctors to laborers, with teachers, engineers, bankers, farmers, and the military services well represented. The U.S. Air Force has provided several volunteers, with the presence of “Top Gun” jet fighter pilots. One of these elites is Jack Sanders, who spent 30 years in service to our country. An Arkansas native, who graduated from Washington University of St. Louis with a BS in Business Administration, and as an AFROTC participant, Jack followed the Orville and Wilbur legacy of “off we go into the wild blue yonder” and donned his 2nd Lieutenant bars. Jack’s initial flight training was at Webb Air Force Base in Big Spring, Texas, where he learned the basics of flying, navigation, formation, and instruments. After pilot training, he reported to Luke AFB near Phoenix to check out in his first fighter, the F-100 Super Sabre, to receive training in weapons delivery and air combat, and learn how to defy earth’s gravitational forces. He had assignments in the F-100 at Myrtle Beach AFB, SC and Madrid, Spain before reporting for duty in Vietnam. There he compiled 211 combat missions flying close air support for ground forces. Returning to the US, he came to Davis-Monthan AFB here in Tucson to begin training in the A-7 Corsair, which the Air Force adopted to replace the F-100. Jack was here for 3 years, flying and training students in this new plane. It was during this assignment that he developed a love affair with the Southwest desert and would consider Tucson a prime choice for retirement.

Fighter pilots love to fly, but sometimes the Air Force has other ideas, and Jack was sent to his first staff job at Langley AFB near Hampton, VA. By this juncture in his career Jack had journeyed up the promotion ladder to Major Sanders, “Colonel Sanders” was yet to come. Completing 3 years of “pushing paper,” he happily returned to Davis-Monthan to fly the A-10 Thunderbolt II, sometimes known as the “Warthog.” Its primary mission is to attack ground targets such as tanks and armored vehicles. During this tour, Jack realized the fighter pilot’s dream of commanding a fighter squadron and training new pilots in the Warthog.

Next Jack headed north to Fairbanks, Alaska to become Base Commander of Eielson AFB. He likens this post to that of a mayor of a small town, a la Sarah Palin, a non-elected office responsible to his country for executing his military mission as well as looking after the needs of the base personnel. He even affectionately referred to his job title as “the Mayor of North Cupcake,” supervising security forces, civil engineers, chaplains, and legal personnel. For 3 years Jack was the “Colonel Sanders” of the North, minus the white goatee.

Rome, NY became his next assignment where he was the Vice Commander of the 24th Air Division, a part of NORAD, with radar units and fighter interceptor squadrons responsible for the air defense of the northeast portion of the US. His final AF position was back at Langley AFB where he was the Vice Commander of 1st Air Force, the headquarters for all US air defense forces.

So after 3 decades in the USAF, where 21 of those years were spent flying single seat jet fighters, Jack received 2 Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals to mark a successful flying career where he feels fortunate “that his number of landings equaled his takeoffs” Jack retired to his favorite location, Tucson. But it took him and Elaine 10 months to get here. As a way to celebrate retirement from the Air Force and transition to civilian life, they took a 25,000-mile RV trip in their 5th wheel trailer, visiting 37 states including Alaska and several Canadian provinces. “A fabulous experience,” he reports.

In retirement, Jack earned a real estate license and partnered with his wife, Elaine, working several years with Long Realty. He also became a substitute teacher, subbing mostly in middle schools. In 1994 he became involved with Habitat Tucson, working in construction and as Purchasing Agent, buying construction materials for Habitat homes. With strong feelings about Habitat’s mission, he was selected to serve on the Board of Directors and became the chairman of the Business Affairs Committee. Now he is a regular Wednesday volunteer at the job site. As you would expect of a “Top Gun” fighter pilot, Jack is an extrovert, a take charge kind of worker who follows a logical approach to problem solving. At the lunch break, Jack takes on a Paul Harvey demeanor and becomes a masterful storyteller; after 30 Air Force years he has compiled a vast number, and as a tasty treat quite frequently shares some of his wife’s baked goodies. In addition to Habitat, he also volunteers as a Courtesy Car driver at TMC and serves as an official at U of A track meets.

Jack escapes the summer temps by returning to his summer home in the Missouri Ozarks where he spends his leisure time boating and fishing on Table Rock Lake near his home and operating his wood lathe, turning wooden bowls from local lumber stock. When Jack learned how creative one could be on the lathe, he became addicted to turning out bowls. Now he can have his morning Wheaties in a different bowl each morning. He and Elaine also love to travel and have enjoyed trips to Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand, Russia, and Scandinavia.

Jack and Elaine have 2 daughters, Christy and Tina, and 5 grandchildren. They will celebrate their Golden Wedding Anniversary next year. What does the future hold for them? Perhaps a trip to South Africa and of course, more nails to be pounded with Habitat Tucson and more wooden bowls to be turned in the Ozarks. Orders are now being taken.

Written by Volunteer Jim Brohaugh