Kid 1: Watching the Light Come On!

(Editor’s Note: This is the first of a series of three stories written by Tom Perry. It is written from his perspective as a Flight Commander at Laughlin AFB, TX. Often, we would go to bat for a kid who was struggling but who worked his ass off. Here you can read about three success stories. And I am very proud of Tom, as at one time, he was one of my students. Bobo)

Author: Tom Perry

I was the Flight Commander. The Squadron Commander strolled into my office one day and plopped down. Tom, I have a special student I want you guys to take a look at. This kid had failed his final check ride in formation. At the Wing/CC interview, it was discovered that his Mother had passed just before his check ride from a long terminal illness. She had told him to stay in training and not come home if she passed. He was a good kid. I took him as my student to try to help. He struggled at fingertip. You could give him a perfectly trimmed, in-position jet, and then the “yahoo” would immediately begin. We worked and worked on him relaxing. On his next-to-last ride before his recheck, I got frustrated, took the jet, and gave a little stick bump, which resulted in his helmet bouncing off the canopy. I put the jet back in position and said, “Damn, I'm good. Relax and you will be good too.” I gave the jet back to him, and he never bobbled again. He then passed his recheck, EXCELLED in the instrument phase, and got his wings. After his form check, I asked him what changed, and he said he realized it; it just took time, and his time was up. I loved seeing kids’ clue light come on.