IN THE AIR WITH AMBER SMITH
A former U.S. Army pilot on being comfortable with being uncomfortable
Aviation has been part of Amber Smith’s life from the day she was born. 23 years later and she was piloting helicopters in some of the most dangerous battle theatres in the world as a pilot with the U.S. Army.
Jetgala had an opportunity to catch up with Amber to learn more about her amazing journey and how it has prepared her for her next mission in life.
How did your interest in aviation begin?
the danger of it.You could say that aviation is in my blood. My grandfather was a pilot in World War II; he flew the aerial routes between northern Africa and Europe and even some helicopter prototypes. He went on to fly for Western Airlines. My dad initially stayed away from aviation because he was a skydiver and had been in a few plane crashes, but he came around and got hired by Pan American Airways when he was 25. My mom was a civilian pilot way back in the 1960s when it was super rare for women to be pilots and she had her ratings up to a CFII Certified Flight Instructor – Instruments. My early exposure to the aviation community definitely sparked my passion for aviation. My family’s love for aviation is a significant influence in my life. I love the challenge of it, the adventurous nature of it and even
How did you decide to join the military?
I’d always had an interest in military aviation but didn’t actually pursue it until after something happened that changed the trajectory of my life forever. When I watched the towers fall on 9/11, it woke me up and made me realise I wanted to serve my country and I felt the best way to do so, because of my background, was to serve as a pilot. The Army flight programme ended up being a fantastic fit for me.
Which aircraft have you been certified to fly?
I learned to fly in a Cessna 150. That aircraft is what I got my private pilot license in. Once I was in Army flight
What was your inspiration for writing
Danger Close: My Epic Journey as a Combat Helicopter Pilot in Iraq and Afghanistan
and how did you find the experience of examining your best and most stressful experiences? I was one of the few women to have flown the Kiowa Warrior in combat in both Iraq and Afghanistan. The Kiowa Warrior is still an underrated and often unknown entity in the post 9/11 wars outside of the U.S. military aviation community. I thought it was important to tell my story and share my experiences of what it was like to go to war as a Kiowa pilot-in-command and air mission commander.You really learn just what you are capable of and how to continue to grow and better yourself. I absolutely loved the challenge of it. Stress is a part of the job but you get used to it.You have to operate at a certain stress intensity level in order to do your job. I never let my ‘more than normal’ stressful moments affect me more than others.You just keep going. In your recent role as Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Outreach in Public Affairs what were some of your key initiatives? I was the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Outreach) in Public Affairs at the Pentagon to Defense Secretary Jim Mattis. In this role, I led the creation and implementation of the DoD’s largest school, I trained in a TH-67 Creek – the Army’s variant of a Bell 206 Jet Ranger helicopter. It is also the airframe I trained in for my commercial and instrument rating.
Once I completed the first two phases of flight school, I began flight school for the OH-58D Kiowa Warrior. It’s a light attack, reconnaissance helicopter. It only has two seats, one for the co-pilot and one for the pilot in command. It has a .50 machine gun, high-explosive rockets and can be configured to fire hellfire missiles. What makes the Kiowa so special is its mission. We provide direct support for ground forces: the infantry, NATO troops, special forces, Marines….You name it, we’ve probably worked with them.
We provide aerial security, hunt for improvised explore devices (IEDs or roadside bombs), provide real time, actionable intelligence and destroy enemy targets. One day we might be scouting for those roadside bombs ahead of a convoy, the next day we might be observing and adjusting artillery fire or coordinating fires with close air support aircraft from the Navy or Air Force. We might call in a medevac or have to escort one after they pick up a load of wounded soldiers. We do all if this at an extremely low level, in eyesight and range of enemy weapons. It is an incredible aircraft that proved to be essential for battlefield success and combat multiplier in both Iraq and Afghanistan. I’m incredibly lucky to have flown it for so many years.
outreach initiative to help bridge the civilian-military divide, This IsYour Military, while engaging American citizens and key defense-related organisations on critical national security matters, the roles of the U.S. Armed Forces, and the DoD’s community relations initiatives. Take the initiative.
Don’t wait for someone to tell you what to do. As a scout pilot in combat you have to be proactive and focused in order to accomplish the mission and ensure the safety of the team. It’s the same in business; leaders have to remain proactive and innovative to prevent becoming stagnant. Have you found that any of your battlefield experiences were key to helping you succeed in your public affairs role? Own your actions.
After every mission, we conduct an after-action review to assess every aspect of the mission – the good, the bad, things to change and things to sustain – in order to learn from what went right or wrong. A good leader needs to be able to recognise when you make a mistake or a bad decision. Making mistakes is the best way to learn, but you have to recognise what they are in order to make changes and ensure things are done differently next time. I am grateful to able to apply many of the lessons learned throughout my years in the Army and combat to situations in politics. Mental toughness, knowing that you are responsible and in control of your mindset, leadership, teamwork, the never quit attitude, being solution oriented, being able to think on your feet – these are all super helpful in working in D.C. You have accomplished so much at such an early age. As you think to the future, what are some of your goals? As a public speaker, you are commissioned by companies to train people on leadership. What are some of the lessons you learned on the battlefield that would serve businesspeople just as well? Thanks so much! Because of my time flying in combat, I’ve gotten comfortable being uncomfortable, so I’ve always looked for new ways to push myself professionally and never turn down an opportunity. My future goals include more writing and speaking to businesses leaders and audiences about my lessons learned from my time as a combat pilot leader and how they can apply it to their own sphere of leadership, overcoming adversity, risk verses reward, resiliency, etc. I still have a lot to do! There are so many parallel attributes in being a leader in combat and in business. Here are some lessons I’ve learnt:
Be decisive. You can’t be an effective leader if you can’t make key decisions at critical times. In combat you quickly learn it’s not just about being a good pilot, it’s about being a good decision maker when the pressure is on. We live in a world that is constantly changing, and you have to be able to adapt and make those tough decisions in an instant.