PRO 2016-09TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB, TEXAS
PROCLAMATION NO. 2016-09
A PROCLAMATION OF THE TOWN COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB,
TEXAS, ESTABLISHING THE DAY OF MAY 31, 2016 AS LIEUTENANT COLONEL
NORMAN "JAWS" VUCHETICH DAY IN THE TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB; AND
PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Norman "Jaws" Vuchetich was born in San Diego
California. He began his military career as a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy in
Colorado Springs, CO on June 24, 1992. Jaws was a member of Cadet Squadron 10 (Tiger Ten
Huzzah!) and setter for the men's volleyball team. He earned his BS in Astronautical Engineering
with a Minor in Japanese and was commissioned on May 29, 1996; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Vuchetich attended Columbus AFB, MS where he graduated
No. 2 in class 98-08 from Undergraduate Pilot Training. His flying assignments include two
operational tours in the F -15E, two Fighter Training Unit (FTU) instructor tours F -15E and an
Operational Test and Evaluation tour in the F-1 5E at Combat Hammer. After 5 tours in the F-1 5E he
pressed on to his final flying tour at Sheppard AFB, TX, as an instructor in the T -38C Introduction to
Fighter Fundamentals (IFF); and
WHEREAS, While stationed at RAF Lakenheath, England he was assigned to the
494th Black Panthers and flew his first combat sorties in support of Operations Allied Force and
Joint Guardian in Kosovo. His tour was cut short by a few months to enable an ops -to -ops
assignment at Seymour Johnson AFB, NC with the 335th Chiefs; and
WHEREAS, He arrived from the UK in January 2001 and began the upgrade to 2 -ship flight
lead in his new squadron. On September 11, 2001, he was the Supervisor of Flying, and launched
out the First Strike Eagles to defend our nation's capital. In the week that followed, he personally
flew several missions around the clock while all civilian aircraft were grounded as part of Operation
Noble Eagle. Jaws was deployed a few months later to take the fight to AI Qaeda in support of
Operation Enduring Freedom; and
WHEREAS, Several notable sorties included the first use of the F -15E in emergency close
air support and the first and only thermobaric weapon used in combat (anti -cave weapon). Jaws'
longest combat sortie was 12 hours in support of Special Operations Forces hunting the
Taliban. He was awarded a single sortie Air Medal for his role in destroying a downed MC -130P
loaded with sensitive materials. As part of Wing Weapons, Jaws deployed to Al Udeid, Qatar and
setup the mission planning cell for what became Operation Iraqi Freedom. It was there that he flew
numerous sorties that removed the Republican Guard from defensive positions around
Baghdad. He also earned a single sortie Air Medal for the removal of a battalion of Iraqi artillery as
the US Army Forces advanced on the city; and
WHEREAS, In 2004, Lieutenant Colonel Vuchetich went from the 335th to the 334th Eagles
where he began to teach at the FTU. Jaws taught with the Eagles for 7 straight years and probably
had a hand in teaching half of all the F-1 5E drivers and WSO's still around today; and
WHEREAS, While at Combat Hammer, he was deployed as a Squadron Commander for the
704th Expeditionary Support Squadron and afterwards returned to SJAFB and the Eagles. There he
was the Chief of Wing Inspections guiding the base through its first Operational Readiness
Inspection in over 10 years. Jaws was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel; and
WHEREAS, Jaws has been at Sheppard AFB, TX for the last four and a half years molding
the next generation of NATO fighter pilots. He was deployed as the Deputy Director for Operations
at Air Forces Central Command in Qatar; and
WHEREAS, Lieutenant Colonel Vuchetich is a command pilot with nearly 3,000 flight hours
in the F -15E, T-37, T-38A/C, and F-16. He has kicked down the door in every conflict the US has
had in the past 20 years, dropped nearly every bomb in the inventory. Jaws has been given nearly
51 awards/decorations/medals, including The Distinguished Flying Cross with Valor, 3 Meritorious
Service Medals, 5 Air Medals and many more.
NOW, THEREFORE, I, MAYOR C. NICK SANDERS, IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE TOWN
COUNCIL OF THE TOWN OF TROPHY CLUB, TEXAS, DO HEREBY PROCLAIM MAY 31, 2016
AS:
LIEUTENANT COLONEL NORMAN "JAWS" VUCHETICH DAY
PASSED AND APPROVED by the Town Council of the Town of Trophy Club, Texas, this
23rd day of May 2016.
Holly Fimbre�, Town Secretary
Town of Trophy Club, Texas
OF i ROph,
m . Nick Sanders, Mayor
own of Trophy Club, Texas
PRO 2016-09 Page 2 of 2