About Me

Christopher Lucas

Founder, Mission Payback
Veteran. Technician. Leader. Advocate.

From the Flightline to the Frontlines of Change

I’m Christopher Lucas — a 100% disabled Air Force veteran, master automotive technician, small business owner, and relentless advocate for veterans in need. I founded Mission Payback because no one should be stranded after serving their country — especially not our nation's heroes.

🛠️ Over Two Decades of Grit and Service

From my first job as a technician at Honda in the late '90s to leading military maintenance operations on the F-22 bed-down project at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska, I've spent a lifetime fixing what’s broken — systems, machines, and now, the ways we care for our veterans. I served 8 years on active duty and another 4 in the Texas Air National Guard — wrenching by day, mentoring by night.

✈️ Aerospace to Asphalt: A Veteran's Journey

I was stationed at legendary bases like Edwards AFB, home of the Flight Test Center. There, I witnessed the first flight of the Navy’s X-47B, the Global Hawk, Predator UAVs, and the final landing of the Space Shuttle across that massive dry lakebed. NASA's Rocket plume tests lit up the desert skyline, and I even overcame my fear of flying by soloing a Cessna off the same runway where Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier.

🔧 Educator, Diagnostician, Technician

As a master tech and former Air Force maintenance supervisor, I taught advanced electrical theory and diagnostics for 4 years at NAS JRB Fort Worth. I cross-trained into vehicle maintenance and received specialized training in alternative fuels, hybrids, electric vehicles, and fuel cell systems.

I held a Top Secret clearance, worked with the AWACS program at Tinker AFB, and had access to SIPRNet. From EPA certifications to OSHA, HazMat, and DOT compliance — I’ve earned the trust to lead.

🚘 Now: Owner of Lucas Automotive

Today I run Lucas Automotive, a veteran-owned business built on transparency, quality, and community. It’s more than just a shop — it’s where I put all my values to work every day.

🎯 Why Mission Payback?

Because after all these years — after seeing what’s possible when we get it right — I knew it was time to fix something even bigger: the way we care for those who served. Mission Payback isn’t charity. It’s justice. It's about giving our veterans back their mobility, dignity, and independence.

This isn’t a project. This is my life’s mission.

🙌 Join Me

Help us build the most respected and effective veteran support organization in the country. We walk the walk — because I’ve walked it.

Mission Payback

No Veteran deserves to be left stranded