Heroes Among Us
A Slice of Turkish Humble Pie
Oct 14, 2016 by 12 Comments
It was my first deployment in one of the most unforgiving peacetime environments in the world – my first operational fighter squadron. The weather was bad and our formation of four jets was forced to fly a pretty complicated instrument procedure into our deployed location at the far end of the Mediterranean. While each pilot was flying his own approach, we were also charged with maintaining a position two miles behind the jet in front of us by cross checking our radar. I took pride in flying a smooth jet, but I became saturated in the bevy of tasks that afternoon and my usual precision seemed to unravel into out-and-out flailing.
I was weaving left and right of course and it seemed like I was moving the throttle continually from stop-to-stop. It was 
without a doubt one of the worst approaches of my life and while I managed to get back on the ground safely, the effort really made me question my own faculties. I was brand new in the unit, trying to establish a little credibility, and those moments of seeming incompetence were weighing heavily on me as we touched down.
As soon the van picked up the four of us, the other thee pilots jumped into an animated conversation. “I got to tell you boys, that was one of the worst approaches of my life. I was all over the sky and never did settle into a smooth rhythm — It was mighty ugly!” Bill “Blaze” Binger said it so matter-of-factly that the weight of guilt I was feeling began to lighten. If someone with his experience and reputation could fly a bad approach, then maybe I could cut myself some slack. I knew it really was a one-off, but if he hadn’t made light of his own performance, that approach would have haunted me for months beyond.
That night, I thought back on the fact that Blaze had been right behind me throughout the approach. He could have seen my every bob, weave, and change in airspeed with his radar, but there wasn’t even a hint of sarcasm in his voice. To this day, I don’t know if he was really talking about himself, or if he was trying to let me know that even the best fall short every now and then.
Whether you’re looking at yourself or someone else, when your own standards are high, even small failures can seem disproportionate. If Blaze’s words were directed at himself, then he set the bar high for honesty. If they were directed at me, he re-enforced his commitment to my growth by letting me know that everyone has a bad day. Somehow he managed to accomplish both that afternoon.
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JV –
Wonderful piece. The gold standard of motivation that you continually provide. Thanks.
Michael,
Great hearing from you… That memory is always double edged in my mind. When I think back on it, the emotions associated with being out of sync always rise back to the surface, but then the warmth within Blaze’s leadership quickly overrides them. It’s one I’ll carry with me throughout my conscious life.
Best!
JV
Great story, JV! I should have been there to give you a “no gyro” PAR!
Iron Mike,
Your voice always brought calm to my most tense moments in the air over Spain, and I have no doubt that afternoon in Turkey would have gone much smoother with you at the control end of the radio. Thanks for weighing in my friend!
Best –
JV
I love this story because either way, we appreciate the character of “Blaze.” Interesting, his approach to how he handled this situation with you is something you’ve never forgotten. Thanks for sharing this story with us.
Rob,
I have to say that up to that point, it was one of the most influential moments in my life. Lots of big influences since, but I hope you know how much I value those moments – and those people!
Best!
JV
JV,
Masterfully told and so applicable to the challenges of corporate leadership. Shot a couple of approaches like that myself… :-). Will be sharing the thoughts with my team. Thanks!
Mike Brown
OU Class of 84
Mike,
Great to see your name on this note! For me, this story has been giving back since the day it was born. Hope it has the same impact on the leadership within your team as it did on me.
Best to you –
JV
JV, this is awesome–a reminder that no matter how accomplished, we are all human. Putting that into perspective rather than beating yourself up (or someone else doing it!) is so important.
Thanks for sharing!
Julie,
Handling tough situations is always better when you go in well armed. I was sorely short on confidence that day, but Blaze added several faculties to my arsenal that day, not the least of which was the want to share the gift of a furthering wind. Thanks for adding to the discussion!
Best-
JV
JV,
Great story. We all strive for perfection constantly, but we all fall short at times when it is just “one of those days.” It sounds like Blaze put that into perspective for you that day and made a great lesson for us all. Thanks for sharing with us all.
JV,
Blaze sounds like the leader everyone would want to follow! A class act all around.
Sarah