Happy 75th Anniversary Air Force
October 28, 2022
How Air Force veterans exemplify many of the characteristic’s growth companies seek when building their teams.
October 28, 2022
In this month’s VET, I’d like to focus on a branch of service that I’ve largely neglected in my communications thus far: the United States Air Force.
Last month, the U.S. Air Force celebrated its 75th anniversary. As a former “mud turtle” (a term used by airmen to describe soldiers), I’ve always had a tremendous amount of respect for “zoomies” (a term used by soldiers when referring to airmen). While they may not get the press that Naval aviators do (i.e. Top Gun), I have found that members of the Air Force embody numerous attributes valuable for growth companies – many of which I have discussed in prior issues of the VET and some I haven’t. For example, it’s often joked that the Air Force builds its barracks and base infrastructure (i.e., barracks, parks, dining facilities, etc.) before they build runways. That way, if they ever run out of money, they have nice amenities, but the Pentagon can’t deny them additional funds. Savvy.
Joking aside, my friends from the Air Force exemplify many of the characteristic’s growth companies seek when building their teams. One such friend is Jonny Beale.
I met Jonny when our sons played together on a youth baseball team, and we bonded over our military service – me on active duty and Jonny in the Air Force Reserves. Jonny is, quite simply, superhuman. In addition to flying the C5 Galaxy for the Air Force Reserve, he is also a full-time pilot for JetBlue. If that weren’t enough, he and his sister recently started a rapidly growing disinfection services company called Purifly. With all of that going on, Jonny and his wife Emily (who works full time for Sanofi) are also parents to three young children with very busy schedules themselves.
Jonny and his hectic schedule demonstrate many characteristics that are innate to current and former Air Force servicemembers:
- Entrepreneurial: Jonny’s growing small business is one example of the entrepreneurial mindset I see in many Air Force veterans. According to a 2021 US Census study, veterans are more entrepreneurial than the broader population. While they represent 7.6% of the US population, veterans make up an even larger percentage of business owners (9.1%). My experience supports this as I have many veteran friends who started their own business after transitioning out of the military. Anecdotal but a disproportionate number of them are Air Force veterans (like Jonny). For leaders of growth companies, finding an Air Force veteran for an open role will likely add entrepreneurial leadership to your company’s capabilities.
- Work Ethic: Jonny’s schedule speaks for itself. I have no idea how he and his wife do it all, but, like many members of the Air Force (and their spouses), their work ethic and dedication is unparalleled. In these challenging times, where companies need to rely on employees to be productive, Air Force veterans can be trusted to deliver.
- Values: In addition to being busy all the time, Jonny is a great human being and epitomizes many of the values our growth companies aspire to: honesty, hard work, selflessness, caring. When leaders of growth companies look for new team members that will be additive to the culture of their organizations, Air Force veterans like Jonny are a sure bet.
Charlie Mike*
Dave & the Summit Partners Veterans Community
* “Charlie Mike” is the military phonetic alphabet for the letters C and M which stand for “continue the mission,” a phrase commonly used in tactical situation
Veteran Engagement Team Reads & Resources (R&R)
- Innovate, Accelerate, Thrive- The Airforce at 75 – AF.Mil
- The Air Force and Trailblazing Science Have Been Linked for 75 Years and Counting– Avationpros.com
- ODNI Celebrates U.S. Airforce 75th Anniversary – DNI.gov
- Innovation in the US Airforce – Rand.org
October Book of the Month
Hogs in the Sand– Buck Wyndham
Hogs in the Sand is the epic and deeply personal year-long journey of a pilot of the mighty, iconic A-10 Warthog as he fights an increasingly terrifying war while trying to keep control of his internal demons. For anyone who has admired the Warthog, seen it in action, or called upon it to be their salvation, this story will fulfill a desire to virtually strap into the cockpit, while gaining unprecedented understanding of the mind of a modern combat pilot.
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