“What Made You Smile Today?”

A series of texts at 12:23am:

“Psst, got some news… I made the E7 list.”

“…I cannot thank you enough for writing the letter for me. Words just seem empty compared to how I am filled with gratitude… you have always believed in me. That helps make someone go a long way.”

The source of the texts was one of the crew chiefs I progressed (trained) back when I was 34. At the time, she was ancient in comparison to her peers – if memory serves me correctly, she was in her late 30’s when most of the guys were in their early 20’s. In true “Southern Girl” fashion, she played that off wonderfully:

“‘Cougar’ mah ass! I’m a saber-toothed TIGER! All ya’ll little boys might need to start sleeping on yer stomachs around the half-way point in the deployment!”

If you have never seen a room full of blushing and concerned young men before, trust me – it is hilarious.

This soon-to-be Sergeant First Class was a Specialist when I met her, and she was one of the most deliberate students I have ever come across. Notes during my classes at the gazebo? The woman was damned-near a stenographer. However, she was often seen as “slow” by another instructor mostly because her learning style conflicted with his teaching methods and she would default to constantly second-guessing herself.

Folks like that I tend to love as students. There is something about taking someone who is not used to being listened to or taken seriously and getting them to the point where the lightbulb goes off and they realize that they actually can speak up and not only be heard, but heeded. In the case of the “Saber-tooth crewchief,” she came into that state of professional consciousness during one of our training flights in Kuwait.

I was (and still am) a firm believer in the value of realism in training. One of my favorite tactics during emergency procedure training was to create a scenario with the pilots where I would announce the cockpit indications they were “seeing” and then they would begin to disagree on which course of action they were initiating. Since this was to illustrate and evaluate the ability of the crewchief and medic to intervene and “act assertively” in accordance with our aircrew coordination training, I was looking for some sort of feedback from the “back” of the helicopter to get the whole crew back on the same page in handling the emergency.

So, on the night of 17 September 2009, the flight went down in my log as having one of the funniest comments I have heard in a Black Hawk. As we were on the downwind leg of the traffic pattern, I informed the pilots of indications that would require a “land as soon as possible” response. They complied, and then proceeded to argue over the “right” course of action: one wanted to land on the dusty road beneath us, while the other wanted to turn and proceed to the runway a quarter mile to our left. Pilots typically loved this opportunity to act in the name of education, so they took it one step further and started tugging at the controls to affect their different courses of action – making the helicopter rock and dip with a quick, but deliberate motion.

Neither the medic nor the crewchief knew I had planned this – for all they knew, they were witnessing not only an emergency, but a CW2 and a Captain argue during our existential crisis. The medic turned to look at me, but I returned a blank stare which she later told me was one of the most surreal things she could think of at the time. However, the “Saber-tooth Crewchief” would have none of it. She tried to announce what suitable landing area she had on the right and below, and when they kept arguing, she abruptly switched gears: “Ay, ay, AY! One of ya’ll motherfuckers needs to be flyin’ th’ PLANE!” The rocking of the helicopter stopped immediately, which was a miracle because both pilots were shocked into laughing almost as hard as I was.

…But I (happily) digress.

She proved herself capable back then, and she handled everything that was thrown at her with grace and professionalism during the deployment and afterwards:

Favoritism? Abuses of rank? Ethical dilemmas?

None of it was a problem for her, and it was a relief and honor to be part of her professional development, and it was for this crewchief and NCO that I had no issue in writing the following as part of my own personal recommendation and assessment of her character:

As a retired Non-Commissioned Officer, I can understand and appreciate the social and operational challenges that the Army is currently facing. However, it is my confidence in the ability of NCOs like SSG [redacted] to not only lead in the face of these challenges, but to mentor and mold the next generation of leaders. This responsibility I cannot dispense lightly, and my advocacy of SSG [redacted]’s character, ability, and potential is no exception.

So, what made me smile today?

Knowing that the examples I set early in someone’s career was part of their success today.