A final flight for an aerial firefighting colonel

Col. Bob Chapman stands tall in the face of a congratulatory water spray while protecting himself with a plastic chemical bag Aug. 8 at Peterson Air Force Base, Colo. The colonel's spraying, a tradition conducted when a pilot has his or her final flight with the unit they're assigned to, culminated his flying career with the Air Force Reserve's 302nd Airlift Wing. The flight capped off his military flying career with more than 5,200 hours of flight, including over combat zones. Colonel Chapman, who relinquished his position as the wing's vice commander during the August unit training assembly, has served in the Air Force since 1978 when he joined as an enlisted member. The colonel left Active Duty in 1992, becoming an Air Force Reserve member with the 302nd AW. The colonel is projected to retire in March 2011. (U.S. Air Force photo/Maj. Kallece Quinn)