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'Flag Dave' gets a ride in the jets he has greeted for two decades

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michaela Prince
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- For more than two decades, pilots passing through Fort Smith Regional Airport in Arkansas have come to expect a familiar sight on the ramp: a man dressed head to toe in red, white, and blue, standing proudly with an American flag raised high.

To the world he is Dave Burns. To the military flying community, he is simply known as “Flag Dave.”

Dave spent eight years working in the Fort Smith, Arkansas, school system and 34 years with Pepsi Cola Sales before finding what would become his life’s calling, honoring those who serve.

For over 20 years, every single day, including weekends and holidays, Dave has volunteered his time at the airport to welcome transient military aircraft as they arrive. As jets taxi in, Dave stands at attention, waving his flag and saluting each crew as if they were family returning home.

After engines shut down and checklists are complete, Dave greets the crews inside the airport’s military-crew building. There, he listens to their stories, asks about their careers, and thanks them sincerely for their service.

The airport has even set aside a room for military crews to debrief, its walls covered with photographs Dave has taken over the years, along with thank-you gifts sent back to him from squadrons around the world.

Dave has a special place in his heart for student pilots. He often asks them about their journey, their dreams of flying, and what inspired them to serve. In return, he shares words of wisdom, personal encouragement, and sometimes even contact information for mentors who might help guide their careers.

Before crews depart, Dave frequently sends them off with printed photos of their aircraft, a small American flag to take back to their squadron, and a superhero action figure which is his reminder that America’s military members are the true superheroes of the nation.

Dave has handed out more than 65,000 American flags. His impact reaches far beyond Fort Smith. Flying squadrons at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, proudly display flags, action figures, and professional quality photos gifted by Dave; small but powerful symbols of the man who waits on the ramp for them.

Many of the pilots he meets stay in contact with him for years, sending updates about promotions, new aircraft, and milestones in their careers.

On Jan. 16, 2026, for the first time in his life, the man who has honored thousands of Air Force pilots, became a passenger in an Air Force aircraft.

Dave rode in a T-38 Talon trainer aircraft at Vance Air Force Base; an aircraft he has watched taxi, launch and recover countless times from the ground. Unlike many of the single-seat aircraft that visit Fort Smith, the T-38’s two-seat configuration allowed the Air Force to return the gratitude Dave has shown for decades.

When Dave learned he would be flying with the Air Force, the moment felt almost unreal. “It’s just something I never dreamed would ever happen,” he said. “You try to put it in your mind what it might be like, but it was beyond anything I could imagine.”

The flight gave Dave a chance to experience firsthand the mission he has supported for more than two decades. From the back seat of the T-38, he saw the world from the same perspective as the pilots he salutes daily, understanding the speed, precision, and discipline required of Air Force aviators.

“It was amazing,” Dave said. “We were making turns and pulls, and you could feel everything. I’ve watched these jets for years, but being up there, feeling it, it gave me a whole new level of appreciation for what you do.”

When Dave landed and stepped out of the aircraft, he was visibly overwhelmed. “I had no idea, absolutely no idea, what y’all go through,” he said to the crowd of base leadership, instructor and student pilots who had gathered to watch his arrival. “Now I do. This changed my life.”

When Dave returns to Fort Smith, he plans to share his flying experience with young pilots at the airport, high school students, and classrooms throughout the Fort Smith school district, encouraging the next generation to consider service and aviation.