Maj. Skyler Hester and French Air Force Capt. Mathieu Boireau prepare to leave for a combat mission in a Mirage 2000D, Nov. 11, at Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan. Hester from Kalaheo, Hawaii, is an instructor pilot assigned to the French 1/3 Fighter Squadron. He is deployed with the French unit as part of the three-year foreign exchange pilot program.