#1.  They Are Motivated 

Plain and simple fighter pilots have a level of drive that the average person does not.  I mean really, who gets an F-18 slot after screwing off in flight school and not studying?  No one, that’s who!

The people that get these selective positions know what they want and go after it.  They bust their butts, study hard, and don’t let obstacles get in their way.  You will ALWAYS face challenges, and once you crush one, there will be another ready to attack.

For every challenge you defeat, someone else will hit that challenge and will subsequently drop out of the race.  Take it one step at a time and remember the greater goal.

#2. They Are Confident

Come on, if you fly a jet, this is pretty obvious.  Ok, ok, in all reality, people that fly jets have to possess an extreme level of confidence because they HAVE TO.

You can’t strap yourself into your ejection seat and be unsure of yourself.  These folks have to trust themselves and trust in their abilities and training, because second-guessing those things could mean the difference between life and death.

#3. They Possess Self-Control

Self-control is essential.  Fighter pilots can’t just fly off the handle or flip out at the O Club if he gets shot down by a pretty girl.  Now, we all know that we have our “moments”, maybe we are experiencing relationships problems, our beloved dog just kicked the bucket, or we didn’t sleep the last few days due to a late night out at the bar.

Those things are not excuses for bad behavior.  Because guess what, when you’re in the military you are representing the United States government, and they take that very seriously… whether that be out on the town, or in combat over Afghanistan. Check yourself.

#4.  They Are Opportunistic

Fighter pilots tend to be opportunistic.  They always looking for ways to learn new things and improve themselves.

Why? The better question is, why not?

If you are happy sitting on your butt, eating Cheetos and thinking your going to learn something, you better reevaluate your expectations.  There are people that assume that opportunities will come knocking if they get that fancy degree, or go to the right ivy-league school. In the real world, most people don’t care.

They want to see a person that goes after what they want, and jump on opportunities that others are too afraid to pursue.

#5.  They Don’t Accept The Word “Can’t”

I would venture to guess that we’ve all been told the word can’t.  I have been told “you can’t” more than I care to admit, but it’s how I handled it that has made all the difference in the world.  Here’s a story for you.

I contacted a Navy recruiter a few weeks back and told him my plans of pursuing psychology in the military.  “I’m sorry, but it appears that we don’t recognize your degree at the master’s level.”  Basically it was a big fat, “you can’t.”

OUCH!! What do you mean? I have a master’s degree, graduated with a 3.9 GPA, and presented at real life adult psychology conferences all over the United States!!! What the heck?!

Turns out there was something greater out there for me.  I did some more research and found out that ALL branches of the military offer scholarships for those who pursue their PhD and offer their services to the military upon graduation. Holy cow!!!

So my point… there is ALWAYS other avenues, and it often depends on who you talk to and how much you’re willing to find another way.  Be a can do person.

#6.  They Are Persistent

People in this line of work never give up. Think about this, could we have won world wars if we gave up when things got tough? No way!!!

I’m sort of a history buff.  Back in WWII the German military set up their bunkers overlooking the ocean at a place called Pointe du Hoc, located in Normandy, right above Omaha Beach.  The Army was instructed to take the position as quickly as possible.

So what do you think the Army Rangers did? Did they attack from behind? Call in an air strike?

No.

They scaled the cliff and scared the crap out of the Germans, pushing them back and taking the position.

The moral of the story; you can do anything you put your mind to…even scaling a cliff with machine guns staring you down.

#7.  They Are Risk Takers

Fighter pilots feed off adrenaline.  They like taking chances, pushing the envelope (or the sound barrier), appreciate independence, and need to make very quick decisions.

All of these characteristics are necessary in this field, and without them, we would not have the best air force in the world.

#8.  They Are Leaders

Pilots need to be leaders.  They need to be able to think under pressure, and lead others with confidence and skill.  There’s no room for indecision or second-guessing.  This is true for top positions in the military in general.

Do you think that General Eisenhower was a push-over?!  Ha, think again!

#9.  They Are Patient

Every aviator knows this phrase well, “hurry up and wait.”  Luster tends to be lost when people jump too quickly. This happens in relationships, in work, and with flying. Sometimes waiting can make all the difference in the world. This is true in combat as well.

A fighter pilot can’t fire missiles at anything and everything.  They have to be patient and evaluate all possible stratagems.

#10.  They Are Self-Aware.

They know themselves, and how they react under pressure.  Pilots need to know their surroundings, and how their brains and bodies function.  This leads to a sense of control, calmness, and confidence.

I recently met Lt. Colonel Jeep, who is a very accomplished helicopter pilot for the United States Marine Corps, and Commander of the infamous “HMM- 364 Purple Foxes.”  I asked him what qualities he sees in his Marines that succeed.

His gracious response was the following;

1. A Fighting Spirit – Never give up just because things feel or look bad. Keep going, keep flying the aircraft, keep thinking, and punch hard.

2. Be Calm – Enlightenment, insight and good ideas never come to those who are whimpering or panicking.

3. Adventure – There is some in every flight, every landing and every minute. Learn to seize it and you will learn through adventure, and you will be a better and wiser person and pilot.

4. Be Smart – You are definitely a better pilot when you are a keen student and avid professional. This means taking the aircraft and its requirements seriously.
There are a few things that help these develop, like athletics and good teachers. Finally, these all lead to confidence which each of the above are really subsets of.

Confidence and capability and willingness to use them till the end, these three things describe the military aviator born for the fight.

-Lt. Colonel Jeep

(I’d pay attention if I was you, the guy must know something; he’s a squadron commander for goodness sake!)

So with that, future pilots, I leave you with this; Keep focus, and don’t let anything get in the way of doing what you were meant to do.

Speed is life.

P.S. This is my favorite fighter pilot quote of all time, passed on by a friend and fellow aviator:

“The average fighter pilot, despite the sometimes swaggering exterior, is very much capable of such feelings as love, affection, intimacy and caring.  These feelings just don’t involve anybody else.”