Who is SNAPPER?

Vince “SNAPPER” Sherer is a retired U.S. Air Force command pilot and now civilian USAF instructor pilot. He is best known for his extensive service as an A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” fighter pilot. Over a 20+-year and counting career, he flew nearly 300 combat missions and accumulated 1,300 combat flight hours in the A-10 and MC-12 aircraft during four deployments to Afghanistan. His missions often involved providing close air support to troops in contact across a decade marked by evolving combat tactics and technological advancements. Sherer’s call sign “SNAPPER” reportedly stems from...redacted.

He joined the Air Force in July 1996 and retired in July 2020, having logged over 4,300 total flight hours across various aircraft, including the T-37, T-38A, T-38B, T-38C, A-10A, A-10C, T-6, MC-12, and, post-retirement, the A-90 and OV-10G+. Post active duty, he has served as Close Air Support Subject matter Expert and Contract CAS pilot providing training to JTACs accross the active force. To present he is acting as T-38C Instructor Pilot as a US Air Force Civilian(GS) at Randolph AFB TX, teaching our latest instructor pilots how to instruct. SNAPPERS’ career is highlighted by his deep connection to the A-10 community, where he’s often described as embodying the gritty, ground-support focused ethos of the Warthog pilot.

Since retiring, Sherer has shared his experiences through platforms like the “Combat Story podcast”, and “the Afterburn podcast” offering detailed insights into the realities of aerial combat from the cockpit. He’s also a father of three, which he’s noted as a motivating factor in his personal growth. His story reflects a mix of technical skill, resilience, and a commitment to supporting ground forces in some of the most intense combat environments of the early 21st century.