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My name is Vance Lessard. I was born in Wisconsin, but raised in Arizona. The majesty and openness of Arizona – its desert landscape and beauty, captured my soul from the day I arrived. Around 1960, my mother’s twin sister recognized my love for airplanes and took me to an air show at a remote Air Force Base at the base of the White Tank Mountains.

Armed with my mom’s Kodak Brownie, I marched through the front gate of Luke Air Force Base and into a world that would shape my life forever. There before me were polished F-86 Sabers, a T-33, and F-80 Shooting Stars lined up for inspection – the urge to run and touch them all was overwhelming. My aunt made certain though that only under her supervision would there be any detailed “inspections”. Those early photos from the Brownie can be seen here in my photostream. Little did I know that day that photography would become a permanent passion.

After moving several times, my parents finally settled in Northwest Phoenix. I attended Cortez High School, and afterwards, Glendale College on a football scholarship. Vietnam and the Draft cut short the dream of professional athletics (not many pros at 5’4” and 135 pounds). Regardless of my initial reservations, the military draft established opportunities that led to career a professional career path that I couldn’t have imagined as a teen.

After failing my initial draft physical, I was directed to return in two weeks for a retry.. Taking the advice of one of the Army doctors, I went to the Navy Recruiter and enlisted – a decision that started me on an unimaginable, global journey. Shortly after boot camp, I married my high school sweetheart (now my wife of over 40 years), and set out for Pensacola, Florida – the home of the Blue Angels and the birthplace of Naval Aviation.

It was 1968 and the Blues were transitioning to the F-4J Phantom II, often using our base, an inactive WW II Naval Air Field, to practice. Watching them practice fueled my growing passion for all things “aviation”. Following training in Pensacola, I was transferred to the Philippines near Subic Bay. With Vietnam in full swing, the Philippines was a busy hive of activity – a tropical heaven. I purchased my first SLR there, a Pentax, and my passion for photography was reignited.

During my tour there, my son was born. I saw him for the first time just before his first birthday. My next two tours took me to Europe (Germany and Scotland), where my daughter was born. I continued to refine my photography skills throughout my time in Europe. Photographic opportunities, particularly those involving aviation, were plentiful. NATO aircraft and occasional MiG over-flights were constant events. Our Scotish home was near RAF Leuchars, so aircraft heading to the northern ranges in Scotland overflew our home on a daily basis. I never tired of seeing their low flying exploits.

Upon returning to the U.S., we settled in Maine. Again, I was close to military aircraft of all kinds. Dow, Pease, Loring and Brunswick were all great sources for aircraft spotting. I saw the Thunderbirds in their T-38 Talons for the first time during their “Thunder in the Down East” tour. Duty stations in Alaska, Maine, and Diego Garcia quickly followed, and I was suddenly approaching the twilight of my Navy career. My passion for aviation, space and photography was still burning strongly, unabated by time.

Following my Commissioning as a Cryptologic Limited Duty Officer, the Navy sent me back to Pensacola, to what us Mustangs refer to as "Knife and Fork School". It just happened to be at the Navy Aviation Officer Candidate School. Again, I was surrounded by the history that is Naval Aviation. Returning to Washington, D.C. for my final tour of duty kept me in close proximity to Andrews Air Force Base – home of the Joint Services Open House, which showcases some of the finest demonstrations and exhibits in military aviation.
Following my retirement from the Navy, several partners and I started an Aerospace Engineering company supporting the Navy Space Technology Program and the National Reconnaissance Office – expanding my love of all things that fly.

After several acquisitions, which moved my work and family back and forth from coast to coast, I’ve settled in the place I’d fallen in love with so many years ago. I’ve started a new company conducting advanced technology research. My spare time is taken up with my passions: my family, my God, photography (now digital), drawing, aircraft spotting, and the beauty of the Arizona landscape. And occasionally, I can be found playing a round or two of golf.