Page 95 - Never Fly Solo

68 | NEVER FLY SOLO
always had my wingmen—my trusted, reliable partners in the
air and on the ground. They helped me not only to survive but
to succeed.

WINNERS NEVER FLY SOLO

Winners always fly as a team, for though we may manage to
survive on our own, we win together. When the missiles come,
you always have a choice: you either control the situation or
are controlled by it. I’m not referring to mere self-confidence
here. You can’t control every circumstance; in fact, most
things will always lie outside your individual control. It’s a
fact we all sooner or later must accept humbly rather than
fight with false bravado. It’s life. Greater control and confi-
dence is a function of a trustworthy team of supporters who
have your back at all times and alert you the moment they see
something threatening you or the team’s mission.
I remember sitting with a few hundred of my squadron
mates during our intelligence in-briefing at Aviano Air Base in
Italy. We were part of Operation Allied Force, sent to defeat
the brutal regime of Slobodan Milosevic. A huge map of
Yugoslavia was projected on a screen. Missile systems were
everywhere. Pilots were getting SA-3 and SA-6 missiles shot
at them every day, and some pilots were even shot down. The
enemy was skilled. This was no joy ride—you could sense the
fear, tension, and anxiety.
But there was also a sense of calm in the room that is hard
to explain. When I looked around, I saw people I trusted. I
saw men and women who were the best-trained pilots, main-
tenance crews, and intelligence officers in the world. I felt
their focus, commitment, integrity, trust, and dedication to