Air Force cadet aims for C-130

UNCP junior Jon Slottji will soon aviate to the horizon when he graduates in May of 2007.

The only student from UNCP in the past five years to be accepted into Air Force pilot training, Slottji is focused on his future career of flying C-130s.

Photo by Scott Ammons Jon Slottji looks forward to being in the pilot seat.

“In the Air Force, I realized that if I went to college there would be more opportunities open to me through school and hard work,” Slottji said.

Slottji was awarded a full scholarship by the Air Force and decided to attend UNCP since he was stationed at Pope Air Force Base here in North Carolina.

Before attending UNCP Slottji joined the Air Force in 1999 working on planes.

He was awarded outstanding achievement as an Aircraft Hydraulic Systems Journeyman and Aircraft Pneudraulic Systems Journeyman for supporting Operation Enduring Freedom with his exceptional duty performance in November of 2002 and February 2003.

Slottji has his private license in aviation and has flown 37 hours overall.

In the summer of 2005 Slottji was stationed at the Air Force base in Ellsworth, South Dakota for field training.

A full-time nontraditional student, Slottji also works at Cracker Barrel and is involved in Gamma Beta Phi and Alpha Sigma Lambda.

Slottji manages to make the Chancellor’s list.

Slottji was presented the annual Undergraduate Computer Science Award for his achievement as an Outstanding Student for 2005-2006.

He sees himself in 10 years traveling the world, flying C-130’s and thinking about starting a family.