According to a press release from the U.S. Air Force last Friday, Maj. Sean “Rambo” Loughlin, an F-35A Lightning II pilot assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing’s 421st Fighter Squadron based at Hill Air Force Base, has been certified as the new commander of the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team. He was certified last week during the ACC Heritage Flight Training Course at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona.

“I grew up in Massachusetts, going to Hyannis Airport with my late grandmother every weekend,” Loughlin said in the release. “We would get bagels and sit for hours watching airplanes take off and land. For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved aviation and known that I wanted to fly for the rest of my life. My father served 32 years in the U.S. Army – and that upbringing inspired my commitment to service.”

According to the release, Loughlin was commissioned into the U.S. Air Force through the Reserve Officer Training Corps in 2015.

“Loughlin has since amassed over 1,200 flight hours across various aircraft. In his 11 years of service, he has flown the T-6 Texan, T-1A Jayhawk, T-38C Talon, F-15E Strike Eagle, A-10C Thunderbolt II, and F-35A Lightning II,” the release said. “He also served as a safety observer for the previous demonstration team pilot, which drove his motivation to take on this new role.”

The release adds that Loughlin will have many responsibilities in the new role.

“As commander of the demonstration team, Loughlin isn’t just responsible for a traveling team of 11 maintainers and support personnel, but is also tasked with being a powerful voice for Air Force recruiting, all while showcasing the combat capabilities of the F-35A around the globe,” the release said. “That, combined with the ground team exemplifying the precision and professionalism of U.S. Airmen, fosters the team’s mission to retain current and recruit future generations of Airmen.”

Loughlin said he has three main goals in the position.

“My No. 1 goal is to take care of the people on this team,” he said. “My No. 2 goal is to take care of the equipment on this team. And my No. 3 goal is to make sure that the F-35A Demonstration Team is a highly respected and highly performing cohesive team. The best piece of advice I ever received was ‘stay the course’. At every airshow, the entire cast of performers is just a group of average people who dedicated themselves enough to a single passion of theirs. In life, you can do anything you put your mind to.”

The release notes that the demonstration team is currently scheduled to perform at 20 airshows across the United States between the months of March to November.