PHOENIX — Saturday is World Pride Day celebrating the LGBTQ community. This year Luke Air Force Base is joining the celebration with a historic flight with the first-ever LGBTQ Pride Flight celebrating gay, lesbian and bisexual service members.
On the ground, family and friends eagerly waited for Major Tyler McBride and Captain Justin Lennon as they taxied in ready to hit the skies. Both pilots are openly gay and asked their command to fly a Pride Flight as part of the training course the men instruct. McBride flew with the American Flag and Lennon with a Rainbow flag.
"For me growing up, I didn't think being a gay fighter pilot was possible," said Capt. Lennon.
Lennon spent 4 years at the Air Force Academy and has served nine years of active duty. Friday's Pride flight was a chance to inspire the next generation of pilots.
"A young child sitting at home, they may be a girl or black or gay or lesbian or transgender and they may want to be a fighter pilot and they may turn out to be the best fighter pilot the world has ever seen," Lennon said.
Lennon's boyfriend, Brandon Powell, recognized the significance of the flight for both of them.
"We've both had struggles and to see him come so far since the academy and I've very proud of him and our country and I love him so much," said Powell.
McBride, his husband Kael, and their baby girl Kolbi embraced as a family after the flight. The moment represented a cultural shift.
"I'm just so thankful, that our timing was right and we're apart of this cultural change that happens once or twice in a lifetime," said McBride. "Not even 10 years ago, he couldn't be his authentic self, and here we are supporting America and Military," said Kael McBride, Tyler's husband.