Lindsey was commissioned a second lieutenant at the United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1982. In 1983, after receiving his pilot wings at Reese Air Force Base, Texas, he qualified in the RF-4C Phantom II and was assigned to the 12th Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron at Bergstrom Air Force Base, Texas. From 1984 until 1987, he served as a combat-ready pilot, instructor pilot, and academic instructor. In 1987, he was selected to attend graduate school at the Air Force Institute of Technology, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where he studied aeronautical engineering. In 1989, he attended the USAF Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California. In 1990, Lindsey was assigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, where he conducted weapons and systems tests in F-16 and F-4 aircraft. While a member of the 3247th Test Squadron, Lindsey served as the deputy director, Advanced Tactical Air Reconnaissance System Joint Test Force and as the squadron’s F-16 Flight Commander. In August 1993, Lindsey was selected to attend Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Upon graduation in June 1994, he was reassigned to Eglin Air Force Base, Florida as an Integrated Product Team leader in the USAF SEEK EAGLE Office where he was responsible for Air Force weapons certification for the F16, F-111, A-10, and F-117 aircraft. In March 1995, he was assigned to NASA as an astronaut candidate. Lindsey retired from the Air Force in September 2006. He has logged over 7000 hours of flying time in more than 50 different types of aircraft.
Selected by NASA in March 1995, Lindsey became an astronaut in May 1996, and qualified for flight assignment as a pilot. A veteran of five space flights, Lindsey has logged more than 1,510 hours in space. He served as pilot on STS-87 in 1997 and STS-95 in 1998 and was the mission commander on STS-104 in 2001, STS-121 in 2006 and STS-133 in 2011.
Air & Space Museum