What a Bosnia Combat Flight Taught Me About Leadership Under Fire

There’s no manual for leading with an engine on fire, a rookie co-pilot, and two MIGs on your tail. But in 1997, somewhere over the Adriatic, I learned what it means to trust your team—and yourself—completely. This post dives into one of the most defining missions of my military career, sharing how we turned crisis into clarity, chaos into cohesion, and ultimately, challenge into growth. You’ll also meet the youngest, greenest co-pilot with arguably the wildest first-day story ever.