Kirtland UH-1N Instructor Pilot selected for AETC Outstanding Airman of the Year Published June 21, 2023 By Scott Wakefield KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. -- Capt. Jacob Moore joined the U.S. Air Force in 2014 after graduating from the Reserve Officers’ Training Corps at the University of South Carolina. Moore decided to join the Air Force due to his family history in Air Force service. His father was an F-16 pilot, his grandfather an Air Force chaplain, and he had an uncle that served as well. His wife, Capt. Haley Moore, is a UH-1N “Huey” pilot. Moore currently serves as the 58th Maintenance Operations Flight Commander for the 58th Maintenance Group at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico where he leads analysis, scheduling and training programs. He is also a UH-1N “Huey” Instructor Pilot attached to the 512th Rescue Squadron. Moore arrived at Kirtland in December 2021, and took over as the commander of the MOF in March 2022. Approximately two-weeks ago, Moore was notified of his selection as the Air Education and Training Command’s Outstanding Airman of the Year in the Company Grade Officer category. “I could not have won this honor on my own, I attribute my successes to the Airmen in the MOF,” said Moore. “I feel humbled and enlightened on a daily basis on what my team accomplishes and shows me. It gives me a better perspective from the other side of the hangar and makes me a better pilot and better helps me understand the relationship between pilots and maintenance.” Moore continues to serve because of a passion for leading, flying and teaching others to fly. He especially loves the UH-1, which he calls a “classic”. “There’s a beauty in its simplicity,” Moore said. “It keeps the pilot very involved, and I love to see how my students will perform.”