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Comment by Mike Schooley on May 25, 2011 at 5:14pm

David had a great time doing this event at the high school, as I'm sure Major Stevens did.  Just to make a minor correction, David is not Maj. Steven's crew chief; he is the crew chief for Boss Koss.  So, he shakes the hand of Boss before each flight.  Great article, though!

 

Still waiting to hear if Millville is still a go or not this weekend.

Comment by NavyDads Admin (Paul) on May 25, 2011 at 9:51am

Elite U.S. Navy aviator visits Amherst High

 

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• SLIDESHOW: Blue Angels

By Scott Marshall
Published: May 25, 2011

» 0 Comments | Post a Comment

An expert U.S. Navy pilot stood before hundreds of silent students in a packed Amherst County High School auditorium on Friday morning.

No tales, no grand bragging or even slapping himself on the back.

“All right, good morning, Lancers,” said the pilot, U.S. Marine Corps Maj. Brent Stevens, striking a tall figure in a signature bright navy Blue Angels flight suit. “We were flying around yesterday, making a lot of noise. Did anyone hear us?”

Everyone in Central Virginia did, of course. But that wasn’t the point.

Indeed, it was all about setting a goal, character, commitment and family. It was a good fit with Amherst County Public Schools’ six-year plan and its tenets: instruction, achievement and character — and planning for a successful life.

Stevens, one of the world’s elite aviators who was in the area for the nearby Lynchburg Regional Airshow on Saturday and Sunday, led the students through his circuitous path toward becoming a Navy fighter jet pilot and simply told them to go for what they wanted, no matter what.

“Set a goal,” he said, and avoid bad decisions. “You’ve got to have that goal.”

Stevens grew up in Knoxville, Tenn., without a major military influence in his life. But from the time he was 5 or 6, he wanted to be a pilot. “I have no idea why,” he said.

Stevens related his journey to the Blue Angels, which is uniquely different for each pilot and crucial team member.

Therein was the message: Whatever you do, excel, and never let anyone tell you that you can’t.

“Who knew I would be standing here?” he said.

Stevens finished high school in 1994. Then, a recruiter told him if he joined the Marine Corps, they would sign a contract with him and he would go to flight school, he recalled.

“That’s all I needed to hear,” he said.

He enlisted in 1996 in the Marine Corps Reserves and reported to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, S.C., a rite of passage for generations of premiere American fighting men.

While serving as a combat engineer in the reserves, he attended the University of Tennessee, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in physics in 1999 and was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps.

When he was selected to become a jet pilot and got to fly, Stevens recalled, “I knew then, this is what I’m going to be doing for the rest of my life.”

“It just doesn’t get any better” than flying and serving in San Diego, Calif., where he loved his job and met his future wife, he recalled thinking to himself. He served in a variety of assignments, many at sea.

Flying and training on a variety of aircraft and then ultimately a jet, and practicing, over and over, he had to stay true to his mission — not to mention heart-pounding landings on the 1,110-foot-long USS Harry S. Truman.

Such experiences defined his life.

“Two years out of college, I was landing on a carrier,” which was as big an event in his life as the birth of his daughter, he told students.

“It’s a ‘can’t wait to go to work deal,’” he said.

The challenges are unique, he explained matter-of-factly, appealing to young people about to set out on what he characterized as the “huge step” of entering the world after high school.

The naval aviator’s life brings unusual observations, he said.

He recalled his first carrier landing, watching the massive flat-top from aloft. “That is the tiniest thing I’ve ever seen,” he thought before landing.

He served, trained exhaustively ­­and received his gold flight wings in September 2002, eventually flying missions in Afghanistan and Iraq and later becoming an instructor, successfully applying to the Blue Angels and joining the elite unit in September 2010.

He has more than 1,700 flight hours and 280 aircraft carrier landings, as well as medals and personal and unit awards.

It was a rare treat for Amherst County students to listen to such an accomplished person.

Trust is a big thing in high school and beyond, and they heard the pilot talk about how he trusted his teammates implicitly with his life. They fly 18 inches apart, as close to the ground as 50 feet, he told them.

Stevens was accompanied by his indispensable crew chief, A02 David Schooley, a Pennsylvania native who personally shakes Stevens’ hand before every single show, signifying that his plane is 100 percent ready.

It’s not a casual exchange, Schooley related.

Stevens and Schooley enjoined the students to make wise decisions, as did a veteran assistant principal, William Wells, just seven days before the seniors were to graduate and eight days before the juniors became seniors.

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 23, 2011 at 2:30pm

The Blue Angels have cancelled the practice and air show flyovers at the Naval Academy on the 24th and 25th.  It is not yet know if they will perform at the graduation on the 27th.  I will post more info as it becomes available.

Blue Angels Cancellation Information

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 23, 2011 at 6:59am

I am seeing conflicting reports about the Annapolis fly-overs for commissioning week.  When I get some solid info, I will post it.

This coming weekend, the Blues will be performing in Millville, NJ, and we will be there!

Millville Wheels and Wings 2011

Comment by Joseph C. Royles on May 21, 2011 at 7:52pm

Looking forward Millville NJ Millvilleairshow.com

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 21, 2011 at 7:51pm

Welcome to our group, Mr. Joe Royles, father of Lt. Todd Royles of the Blue Angels!  Our families will be meeting next weekend in Millville, NJ.  Can't wait!

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 16, 2011 at 4:04am

This past weekend, the Blues were able to fly on Friday and Saturday in Indianapolis.  Sunday's show was cancelled due to inclement weather.   Coming up, Lynchburg, VA, May 21 and 22.

Lynchburg Regional Air Show

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 11, 2011 at 2:47pm

Timothy ~ I hope you win!  When you do, say "Hi!" to my son who will be with the #1 jet!

Jim ~ Sorry to hear that!  Maybe next year.

Mike

Comment by Timothy Conway on May 11, 2011 at 8:19am

The Blues will be in Rockford, IL in June.  A local radio station and Pepsi are have a drawing for a ride along.  I'm pretty sure I'm gona win ;-)

Comment by Mike Schooley on May 11, 2011 at 3:57am

Bob,

I am on vacation that week as we had intended to try to see him while they spend time at Andrews.  Not sure we're going to do that, though.  I believe they are actually housing in Fairfax, VA, for those days.  They aren't participating in the air show at Andrews this year, just the graduation.  We will be seeing them at Millville, NJ, Memorial Day weekend.  We'll decide what we're doing after talking to him, possibly next week.

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