Major Andrew "Panic" Munoz

Pañic was born and raised in Fort Bragg, North Carolina as an Army brat and was

smartly encouraged to pursue the Air Force. He graduated from the U.S. Air Force

Academy with a Bachelor of Science of Civil Engineering and was a member of the

boxing team. After commissioning he married his wife, Kristen, and attended pilot

training at Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, TX. Following pilot training, he was assigned

to fly the F-15E Strike Eagle. After completing the B-course at Seymour Johnson

AFB, NC, his first operational assignment was at RAF Lakenheath, United

Kingdom. He later returned to Seymour Johnson for another operational

assignment as an Instructor and Evaluation Pilot.

He then was assigned to Luke AFB, AZ, to learn to fly the F-35, where he currently

serves as a B-Course instructor, teaching the next generation of F-35 pilots.

Pañic has multiple deployments and currently has over 1,000 combat hours and

more than 200 combat sorties, mainly in support of Operation Inherent Resolve.

Pañic received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his role in the combined defense

of Israel on 13 April, 2024 while flying the F-15E. He helped plan and execute

Defensive Counter Air operations against swarms of one-way unmanned aerial

systems (UAS), cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles and was part of the first 4-

ship on station that night. He personally downed 4 UAS’s, directly aided in the

downing of 3 other UAS’s, delayed an engagement due to the risk of collateral

damage below, and safely recovered two F-15E’s by flying his formation through

falling debris in the middle of Alarm Red while PATRIOT missiles and the Iron

Dome intercepted ballistic missiles overhead.

Pañic continues to teach at Luke AFB, AZ with an upcoming move to instruct at

Eglin AFB, FL, within the next year. Pañic, Kristen and their two children look

forward to fishing and exploring the beaches of Florida while sharing their faith

and gratitude for all the blessings they have been given.