Flying in the Face of Fear by Kim "KC" Campbell

I have to admit that it was still a bit surreal to see my books on the table. This weekend, I got the incredible opportunity to sign books at Barnes & Noble, Inc. I was hopeful that it would resonate with readers, but you never really know until you write the book and put yourself out there. This is your life’s work….When I started writing my book, I knew that I wanted to find a way to connect with people, to try and make a difference and an impact. Do you have insights every year? Do you find yourself constantly learning new things from your experience? From protecting troops on the ground, to transparency in the cockpit. Thank you for your experience, and allowing us to learn from it, just as you have. It’s as if you’re saying the mud is going to hit your windshield but it does not enter the cockpit. KC what I’m most grateful for is that you didn’t get hurt. You’ve written a roadmap for us from the flight ✈️ deck. Instead following your example, it musters courage in abundance to feel the fear and allow it to bring forth our best in that moment, in the face of it. Your book doesn’t ensure that fear will avoid us. And now you’ve condensed your experience and made each leadership lesson that much more impactful.

That takes some courage to unpack, process, and find all the good that has come out of your experience. Photo Credit: Alan Lessig, Air Force TimesĪnd that very wing suit is now at the Smithsonian, as well as the metal panel from your A-10. It has been 20 years since April 7th, 2003, and yet sometimes it feels like it was yesterday. I learned that it’s not about the fear you feel when facing challenges, it’s all about what you do in those moments that matters the most. I saw how a leader can provide confidence to team members through their words and actions in stressful situations. I recognized the significance of having a wingman and teammates to help you get through tough times. I understood the importance of preparation and training to face difficult moments. Looking back, I realize that the lessons I learned on that mission really set the stage for the rest of my life. Thankfully I was able to get the airplane back on the ground safely. The airplane never flew again, and I felt lucky to survive.

It was probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever done, not knowing how it would turn out. I then had the challenge of flying the heavily damaged airplane 300 miles back to our home base. Thankfully I was able to get the jet into an emergency backup system and it slowly started climbing up and away from Baghdad. The aircraft immediately became unresponsive, and I thought I might have to eject. Sometimes the hardest things we go through in life can provide the most important lessons.Ģ0 years ago today I found myself in one of the most difficult and demanding missions of my life when my A-10 was hit with a surface-to-air missile over Baghdad.

Flying in the Face of Fear by Kim &quot;KC&quot; Campbell

Flying in the Face of Fear by Kim "KC" Campbell