Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, takes his helmet off after racing at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel participated in the race as part of the Redline Time Attack series which puts races in different class against the clock to see who can get the fastest time. Gabriel placed second in second highest class. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, takes his helmet off after racing at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel participated in the race as part of the Redline Time Attack series which puts races in different class against the clock to see who can get the fastest time. Gabriel placed second in second highest class. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, inspects his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel has owned and modified his Evolution for over five years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, inspects his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel has owned and modified his Evolution for over five years. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, puts his helmet on before racing his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel balances his life between a highly stressful, yet rewarding career, with his passion for cars and racing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, puts his helmet on before racing his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel balances his life between a highly stressful, yet rewarding career, with his passion for cars and racing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, races his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel has owned and modified his Evolution for over five years. He's upgraded everything from the engine, suspension, brakes, and safety equipment to compete in time attack style racing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing MQ-9 Reaper sensor operator, races his Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution at the Spring Mountain Raceway Nov. 1, 2015, in Pahrump, Nevada. Gabriel has owned and modified his Evolution for over five years. He's upgraded everything from the engine, suspension, brakes, and safety equipment to compete in time attack style racing. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Planes by day, cars by night; Airman's passion brings balancePublished Nov. 8, 2015
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Christian Clausen
                    
                    
                    432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
            **CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nevada  (AFNS) --***(This feature is part of the "Through Airmen's Eyes" series. These stories focus on individual Airmen, highlighting their Air Force story.)*
By day, Tech. Sgt. Gabriel, a 432nd Wing/432nd Air Expeditionary Wing sensor operator and junior executive officer, helps support global operations by flying eight-hour MQ-9 Reaper sorties from the comfort of a cushy, thick seat inside a ground control station. 
But by night, he finds himself strapped into a thin, lightweight racing seat inside a raw, stripped-out track monster.
Gabriel, a soft-spoken Texas native, enlisted into the Air Force in 2004 as a C-130 Hercules crew chief until 2011 when he made the decision to cross-train and become a Reaper sensor operator. He would also find his voice through his love of cars, racing, and the raucous roar of his heavily modified Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VI.
"I was still a first-term Airman and the sensor operator career field was in high demand and was very different than what I was doing," he said. "Just the idea of seeing a different aspect of the Air Force and giving myself a broader spectrum of what it does made me decide to open my eyes to another field."
As a sensor operator, he controls the remotely piloted aircraft’s multi-targeting system ball and camera to conduct intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance, as well as weapons guidance in support of U.S. and joint operations around the world.
"I love my job even though it can be highly stressful," he said. "We're flying three to four times as many hours compared to manned aircraft and we're also flying combat lines on rotating shifts continuously for years sometimes."
The RPA enterprise is at war every day, fighting long hours on changing schedules, sometimes causing missed time with the family. The Airmen are charged with bringing a combat mindset to work and then leaving that mindset at the base gates when they return home.
"Despite the many stressors, I've enjoyed the sensor operator career field so far. I go to work and see things many others don't ever get to and knowing I have that experience is something special to me," he said. "What I appreciate most about my job is being able to support the military members on the ground and make sure they can go home to their families."
To help cope with the stress, Gabriel has his passion waiting for him when he pulls in his driveway. No matter what he may have seen that day, he said it all fades away when he opens the hood of his Evo and cracks open the toolbox to tackle the next upgrade or repair.
"I feel like the racing and working on the car centers me," he said. "I've done most of the work myself except for the motor and assembling it, every other part was me, suspension, brakes, safety, and interior. The whole car and track scene is a great release for me."
His Evo represents a culmination of five years spent pouring himself into his car and preparing for his love of racing. Each night his garage is home to the sound of the clicking socket tools, metal clinking together as he trades one tool for another, and the occasional dropped bolt hitting the concrete.
"When I got the car it was mostly stock, it just had a few minor upgrades such as the brake lines. Since then there's not a part of it that I haven't touched other than the body," he said. "I started off with brakes, pads, two-piece rotors, full coil-over suspension setup, fully built motor with a bigger turbo which puts down about 430 horsepower to the wheels, and the last thing I did was get the car fully caged and upgraded all the safety equipment to be fully ready to go as a track car."
Gabriel has set his Evo up for a style of racing called time attack, which involves multiple sessions of different classes of drivers racing against the clock to see who gets the best time. In preparation for his first competition, he attended a track day in California in September to test the new setup on his car.
"Last month was my first event and it was mostly a shakedown, getting used to the car since this is a completely new setup," he said. "It was a great time so hopefully I can adapt and get on the podium for the street class within the next year, even though I'm at a bit of a disadvantage compared to some of the drivers who have been competing and have known the tracks for years."
When the day for his first competition arrived over Halloween weekend, Gabriel was ready to attack the track.
He pushed his car and himself to the limits, shaving seconds off of his times with every session. The only thing on his mind was going faster than the last time. Slowed only by traffic, Gabriel adapted not to, but with the car, appearing to be at home on the track.
"There's nothing else that can bother you when you're on the track and have the throttle pinned," Gabriel said. "For that time, you're one with the car and moment and untouchable to any other worries. You're free for that time; at least that's what it does for me."
He competed in the high intermediate class claiming second place at the end of the weekend. Starting with a lap time in the 2:20s he whittled his time down to 2:08 around the 2.8-mile course, a time that rivaled those in the next and highest class.
"Overall I'm happy with my time and the event was a blast," he said. "I could have made up some more time but I'm getting more familiar with the car and I look forward to the next event."
In the end, Gabriel exceeded his goal, claiming a podium spot in his first-ever competition. Although he was satisfied with his performance, he said he is eager for his next taste of competition.Creech AFB 



TAE Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalistsMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil