Foglesong inspires courage in future aviators

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Daniel Lile
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  Gen. Robert Foglesong, U.S. Air Force retired, spoke at the Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 14-03's graduation Dec. 18 at the Kaye Auditorium. Foglesong began his speech on the significance of their success and the level of excellence it took to reach their accomplishments.

"Those wings are a marking point in your life," said Foglesong. "What that means is that being close isn't good enough. It is excellence that you are looking for. Excellence is how you got these wings, not because you were satisfactory."

Foglesong goes on to explain the unity and trust the new pilots must have with their fellow pilots and Airmen.

"You're now a band of brothers and sisters," said Foglesong. "Everything you do for the rest of your life is going to be enabled by your brothers and sisters. It's not about you anymore it's about something bigger than yourself, and, ultimately, it's what those wings represent."

Foglesong speaks on how the new graduates are not just professional aviators, but leaders to their fellow Airmen.

"A quality of leadership that is very important is your character," said Foglesong. "Technical and character skills equal good leadership. We talk a lot about character, and integrity always has to come first."

There are many aspects to having character. One of the most important of these aspects is having courage.

"One character aspect that we don't pay enough attention to is courage," said Foglesong. "Courage is the enabler for all of the other components. You can talk about integrity all day, but unless you have the courage to make it happen it's just talk. Courage is not a virtue it's the virtue. It will define who you are and it will either make you a leader or a follower."

Foglesong explains that Airmen will have to make courageous decisions at some point in their careers and it is best to be prepared.

"I would encourage you to prepare yourself for the courageous decisions you will have to make," said Foglesong. "There are a couple of ways you can prepare yourself for these decisions. One way is to have confidence in the skills that you perform."

Emergencies are bound to happen while serving. Having confidence in ones skills is vital to making good decisions.
"One of these days you are going to have a critical emergency in your airplane," said Foglesong. "You're going to be more likely to make a courageous decision if your skill sets are such that you feel comfortable addressing it."

Columbus AFB is just the beginning for pilots to learn and become comfortable with their skill sets. Foglesong concluded by explaining how much he enjoys returning to Columbus AFB.

"It's great coming back out and seeing Columbus AFB," said Foglesong. "It's a beautiful base that is a lesson in enthusiasm for a lot of young men and women who are about to launch off in the defense of this nation. It makes me proud every time I come back here."