Risk Management Magazine

It was just another routine training flight in the local Fort Liberty flying area. We were conducting a night team flight supporting the local Air Force combat controllers in what is known as the Northern Training Area (NTA). All was well and, upon the conclusion of our mission, we landed to kick out the left-seaters to give the guys a face-to-face debrief on how it went for both sides.

Why is it important to know your route? That is a pretty loaded question, both in the military and civilian worlds. Nowadays, it’s easy to determine the best route to a destination, as just about everyone has a smart phone with GPS or a map app. All you need to do is enter an address or city and you will be presented with a few different options on how to get there.

On a long weekend, I headed down to Big Bend Ranch State Park for some moto-camping and to provide support for a 50-mile ultramarathon. While there, I broke Rule No. 1. Luckily, the consequences were not grave. But since I survived, I figured I would share the story.