ENTRY FOR @Griffon1 's ACE CHALLENGE
https://www.simpleplanes.com/a/FZUu0S/Ace-Challenge

Jason Earl Van Dyke, otherwise known by his callsign Dodger is a former USAF Fighter Pilot, and currently a Tactical Forces Military Global Air Combat branch Fighter Pilot/Tactical Forces Air Force fighter pilot.

In his earlier days. Van Dyke was both famed and notorious for his skillful, yet reckless handling of both trainer and combat jets, which, many times, almost cost him his wings and career. Despite the lethal and expensive feats.. or stunts that he had pulled throughout his lower years, Central Command did not let go of him, as they saw that the young pilot had very solid potential serving in the TFAF, much to the distress of the crew chiefs and senior officers he had served under. For all the career-ending times that Van Dyke avoided every single time, he was given his official callsign "Dodger"

Soon enough, his callsign would turn from something spawned out of ridicule, into a name well respected and feared by both allies and enemies alike. As war broke out between the Tactical Forces and Darkcorp, a private military contractor that nearly the same capacity and strength as the TFM, launched multiple attacks on many countries, the United States included.

Van Dyke would prove to be an extremely invaluable fighter during this war. His skill, wit, and unexpected explosiveness earned him a reputation among his fellow airmen. And although in the Aurora Squadaron, all F-22 Raptors fly and look the same, Van Dyke would be easily distinguishable among them for his way of flying into a fight, where even those on the ground could recognize who he is.

The greatest and most dangerous point of his life and career as a TFAF fighter pilot came during Operation Paveway Alpha, where the entire Aurora Squadron was tasked on attacking belts of anti-aircraft defenses on the desert island of Maywar southeast of the Arabian Peninsula so their bombers could pass over safely and deliver their payloads on Darkcorp infrastructure built in the sands.

Aurora Squadron was the first to engage in the massive strike ops. All was going well during the Alpha phase of the strikes until the Raptors unexpectedly got pinged by ground radar the deeper into the belts they went, something that caught them completely by surprise as they believed that their stealth fighters could not be found on any radar. Darkcorp had developed advanced detection equipment that could bypass stealth technology and were forward deployed across different fronts, putting the once nearly invisible jets in immediate danger of being shot down. What's worse, their AWACS had been jammed by enemy electronic defenses, and was forced to fly back home.

It was here when Van Dyke soared higher than the rest of them all. He told his Squadron over the radio to egress their target area after regrouping at a planned point while he flies deeper into the island to act as a decoy for the long range SAMs so the rest could safely fly home. Their flight lead argued and demanded he egress with them, but he refused, stating that they'd end up getting downed wholesale when all fire focused on them if they regroup.

Against the loud orders of his senior officer, Van Dyke made a full turn and flew straight into the jaws of the dragon, making every single anti-aircraft defense in the belts that they had not taken down yet to fire salvos of guided missiles and exploding shells at him. His fellow squadmates insisted they go back and help him, but they already were low on fuel and had little to no ammunition and ordnance left.

Van Dyke snaked across the extreme, vicious defenses, evading every missile and shell they threw at him while firing off chaff and flares until he ran out. During the deadly dance with death, he sighted what appears to be a large targeting radar tower, which, little did he know, was one of the advanced detection radars that Darkcorp had built. After dodging many more surface to air missiles, and while being fired on by AAA emplacements, Van Dyke made a fast turn and dove down for a strafe, firing a solid 7 second burst at the tower, shredding it's antenna rotator and making it collapse and forcing the SAM sites that relied on it inoperable. But despite the advanced radar being downed. there was still enhanced infrared seeking SAMs, which he had to again dance across the sky to avoid being shot down. By the time he had egressed out of the target area, he only had 12 minutes of fuel remaining, and his fighter's engines almost baked to it's limit due to his repeated use of the afterburner.

Halfway back to their forward base, he encountered the 3rd Interdictor Squadron, who were on their way to begin phase Bravo of Operation Paveway. The flight lead congratulated him over the comms for his incredible work over the Darkcorp AA belts, and proceeded to head for their designated target area. When they arrived, they were met with only with few ground fire, as Van Dyke had almost exhausted their supplies with his, what was considered to be "unreal" flying.

Lieutenant Jason Van Dyke had nearly exhausted the Desert Island's AA belt ordnance and ammunition supplies, allowing his squadron return to base unharmed, and the following strike phases to go much more smoothly, just by his unmatched flying prowess alone. He landed suffering only heavy nausea and a bad stomach. His Raptor was subsequently repaired for it's almost burnt out engine and wing damage received from exploding shell fragments.

He was promoted to Major the following day, and received the Tactical Forces Global Air Combat Legionnaire Medal, the highest award bestowed upon by the TFAF to it's servicemen, along with the USAF Medal of Honor at the end of the war, as he represented the United States on volunteering to be handed over to the TFMGAC. He became the very first serviceman to be rewarded two highest honors of two militaries, and so far the only Medal of Honor recipient that's still in active service to this day.

Jason Earl Van Dyke is just a fictional character written and created by me. Any resemblance to persons living or dead is purely coincidental

Picture of Jason created with the use of Artbreeder.com
Character was inspired from Maj. Emmett "ET" Tullia of the USAF, who participated in the Package Q Strike of Desert Storm and evaded six Iraqi SAMs over Baghdad