MEET OUR TEAM
The Faces of Our Organization
PATRICIA LYNN
Director
Patricia LynnÂ
Patricia is a native Californian, Musician, Private Music Teacher, and owner of Lynn Music. She worked for over forty years in the Music Department at Allan Hancock College. She’s been married to Tom for 57 years and has two daughters. She is a Pilot, Chapter Chair in the Santa Maria Valley 99’s, and an FAA Safety Team member.Â
As a Board Member of the Santa Maria Museum of Flight (SMMOF), Patricia is eager and enthusiastic of being a participant in the current and future growth of the museum.
THOMAS M. LYNN, JR
Director
Mr. Lynn is a native Californian who retired after fifty years in maintenance and installation of Communications at Vandenberg Air Force Base (now Space Force Base). During the Vietnam War he served in the United States Navy at NAS Lemoore, CA with Attack Squadron 97 as an Aviation Electrician’s Mate on the LTV A-7 Corsair II. Attack Squadron 97 deployed on two eleven mouth cruises. He has a bachelor’s degree in Business Management from LaVerne University. He and Patricia have been married for 57 years and owned and flew a Cessna 182 Skylane for over twenty years out of KSMX, CA.Â
As a Board Member of the Santa Maria Museum of Flight (SMMOF), Mr. Lynn is excited to be involved in future development of facilities and programs.
CHARLES GRIFFITH
Director
Charles Griffith is the Director, Vandenberg Ground-Based Midcourse Defense (GMD) Operations for the Missile Defense Agency at Vandenberg Space Force Base. He provides oversight of weapon system activities at Vandenberg to develop, field, and sustain the GMD Weapon System that defends the U.S. Homeland and its allies against intercontinental ballistic missile attack. In addition to his duties as the Director, Charles is the West Coast MDA Regional STEM Ambassador. Currently Charles serves as the Secretary on the Santa Maria Museum of Flight Board of Directors.
Charles was born in Charlotte, North Carolina. After high school, He joined the U.S. Air Force and honorably served for sixteen years as a Jet Engine Technician. During his tenure in the Air Force, Charles gained aircraft and power plant maintenance experience on the RF-4C, B-52D, G, and H, KC- 135, A-10, and SR-71. Charles then joined the North Dakota Army National Guard as a Combat Engineer until reserves retirement in 2004. During his time in the Army as a Combat Engineer, Charles became a Certified Bridge Master, Precision Demolitions Technician, and taught Combat Engineer subjects at the Devils Lake Regional Training Institute, Camp Grafton, North Dakota. In 2003, he joined the civil service at Minot Air Force Base as the Chief of Procedures and Accountability for the 5th Logistics Readiness Squadron. He maintained oversight of several logistics surveillance programs, inventory accountability of 5th Bomb Wing and 91st Space Wing supply account assets, and maintenance of Air Combat Command publications and supplements. In November 2005, Charles moved to Vandenberg SFB California to take his current position as Director, Vandenberg GMD Operations for the Missile Defense Agency.