Thornton speaks at pilot graduation, offers advice

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Chase Hedrick
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  The director for Air, Space and Information Operations, Air Force Material Command spoke at the graduation for Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 11-04, Jan. 21, at the Kaye Auditorium.

Brig. Gen. William Thornton gave the graduates pieces of wisdom he had learned and felt would put them and their new aviation careers on the right path.

"First, it's about the journey. Please don't spend 10, 15, or 20 years trying to get to a certain rank or position," General Thornton said. "Enjoy what you are doing along the way. If you are so invested in a goal to the exclusion of everything else in your life, I assure you it will be a letdown when you make that goal."

The Undergraduate Pilot Training student turned brigadier general and F-15 test pilot told Class 11-04 that the next day would bring them a clean slate, and how they would be judged as pilots would be from that point on.

"I had difficulty in UPT with air sickness, but I saw Air Force officers and wing leadership sticking by me and sticking their necks out because they felt it was the right thing to do," General Thornton said. "That that experience made me understand the Air Force is a meritocracy. It's full of good caring people and leaders who always try and do the right thing"

General Thornton called for the new pilots to show their merit by being the best pilot they can be. He said that the new systems, especially the weapons platforms, are far more complex and will require them to learn all the systems of their new aircrafts.

"Stay in the books and do it right. What you've learned here will sustain you and can save your life, if you stay with it," he said. "Checklist discipline is important even after UPT, especially in single seat and two seat aircrafts. No one is backing you up. Nobody will know if you did your approach and instruments correctly or if you just got lucky, and no one will care until it's too late."

General Thornton offered his congratulations to Class 11-04 on their achievement and took notice of Class 12-04, scheduled to graduate in one year.

"I want to welcome Class 12-04 that was in the audience today and tell them they have an exciting year ahead of them. It will be one of their most challenging years, regardless it will be one of their most memorable years and they will walk across that stage in a year justifiably proud, and I'll be proud to welcome them into the ranks of the Air Force aviation community", General Thornton said.