Follow your Heart, and Listen to Strangers?
I can honestly say that being a pilot was not always something I thought I would want to do when I grew up. I was always interested in traveling as a young person, and I loved math and science growing up. It wasn’t until late in high school that I put the two things together to figure out that being a pilot was something I would enjoy doing. I can say that I had ideas of other professions in mind growing up, but they were not something I felt truly passionate about. I loved school as a child; I was fortunate to be one of those kids that thought it was “easy” and fun. Due to that fact, I did well enough to pursue any college that seemed reasonable (that I could afford). I just did not know how to pursue college and aviation.
It was my junior year of high school when it dawned on me that flying planes sounded fun. I asked my mom to talk to the pilots she worked with to figure out how one starts off in that profession. The number one piece of advice I received from them was to start in the military. If I could, try to go to a service academy. They said it was an extremely hard route, but in the end, it would be the best, most rewarding option to get to a major airline one day. Since I knew nothing about the military, I did what any teenager with the internet would do, I researched online. When looking at the service academies, both Air Force and Navy looked like good options to learn to fly. It was a little late in the game to start the application process, but I figured, why not? What did I have to lose right?
I was lucky enough to get to visit the Air Force Academy the summer before my senior year of high school. I have never been to Colorado, and I fell in love. It was beautiful! Because it was summer, not many cadets were around, so I did not get the full exposure of what it was really like to be a cadet- I just got to see the pretty campus. Though I had also applied to the Naval Academy, I knew in my heart I did not want to go there. I was never much of a swimmer, and boats did not appeal to me (in case the pilot thing did not work out there). So basically, my mind was set on the Air Force Academy, and I focused entirely on that school as my goal. Since I was late to start the process, I had to hurry up and get all my application requirements done basically my first semester of senior year.
September 11, 2001 I was a senior in high school sitting in a student council meeting hearing our adviser come in and say an airplane hit the World Trade Center. I remember thinking it was a probably a small 2-seater touristy plane with a dumb pilot who did not know what they were doing. It was not until my next class when I realized the severity of what was happening. I watched on television as the second plane hit the second tower, and I was so worried about my mom. She had been working a flight from Boston that morning, and I did not know what her status was. Luckily, she was landing in Milwaukee when the first plane hit, so she was ok. That day changed the lives of military members immensely, and I was often asked if pursuing a service academy and even flying was something I still wanted to do. For some reason, though, it did not change my mind at all. I did not know how much that day would impact my future, but flying was still what was in my heart. I continued to get through the application process to try to go to a service academy.
Despite getting all the applications, essays, congressional nomination interviews, and medical appointments done by the latest deadlines, I had issues getting all the medical paperwork sent in on time. I knew that my full medical paperwork was not sent in until after the cutoff, but I still kept going with the process. Around spring break of my senior year, I received a letter that said the class was full and they were not giving appointments out anymore. I was extremely disappointed, but I moved on and started planning to go to a school in Minnesota with an aviation program. The military just was not for me. I was not aware of ROTC or OTS programs, or I may have pursued that route immediately. Unfortunately, growing up in a small town with not much knowledge of any military services, the information was just advertised much.
It was not until my senior year, the day of our awards banquet in May, that I received my appointment letter. I remember it like it was yesterday. I walked in the house after school, and my mom met me at the door excitedly handing me the letter saying “you got in!” I was in shock to say the least. I thought they had given out all the appointments for the year? I remember looking at her and saying, “Well I already have my plan to go to Minnesota, what do I do now?” She just looked at me like I was crazy and responded, “You go to Air Force!!” It hit me- of course that’s what I do! As appointments were turned down by other candidates, they gave more out. What a relief! I knew that my timing was the reason I did not get in- and I was disappointed that I had not made the deadlines earlier that year. This was what my heart was set on, so my Minnesota plan was really just a back-up. Once I found out I got in, I was in basic training a month later. I hardly had time to process the major changes I was about to go through, but I was excited to pursue the path I was on.
The Air Force Academy was no picnic. I remember struggling in so many ways and wanting to quit almost every day in the beginning. But I just kept going back to that advice I heard from those pilots my mom worked with. If you can stick it out and get through, it’ll be worth in in the end. They were exactly right! Nothing about my Air Force career came easy, but I refused to quit. I will never regret listening to those strangers though, because I was fortunate enough to have an amazing time learning to fly in the military. Now, I’m happy to say their advice worked! I was able to get hired by a major airline before I even left the Air Force. They were exactly right to say that the military was a great way to start. It set me up to get where I am today. I know it isn’t the same story for everyone, but it worked for me, and I’m so happy I followed my heart!
