You may find yourself in uniform, wondering if an idea is really going to work for the next operation, and the sortie that has you looking at a boatload of anti-aircraft operations. “It came from higher up,” your commanding officer might tell you.

If you’re looking into joining the Air Force, that might be less likely if the operations planning team at your wing will be graduating from Maxwell AFB’s staff college after this session.

The men and women who are working on advanced military doctrine training there recently heard from some of the most hallowed names in fighter pilot history last month.

It was a heck of a group they put together, including Colonel Charles DeBellevue, pictured on the right, the top ace in Vietnam, Colonel John Carney who helped put the air assets together for Special Operations programs in Iran and Grenada and a host of other men and women I’m proud to say served in the same military I did.

I know that you guys don’t have the opportunity to meet all of these people at once, or at least not until you’re a few years into the Air Force, Marines or the Navy.

But you can still take advantage of the expertise and stories of veterans.

The easiest to do may be going to your local library and searching for autobiographies and magazines. I think it’s a good start to hear a good yarn about a dogfight or a harrowing moment.

But you know that a guy who preaches dedication and drive wants you to go a little bit further.

If you contact a nearby American Legion or Veterans Administration hospital, both organizations may be able to put you in touch with some local legends. Meeting them could be a thrill for them and an education for you.