Risk Management Magazine

As we flew the assistant division commander for operations to Forward Operating Base Warhorse for a meeting, we received a frantic call for help over the common frequency. The message was clear: A critically wounded Soldier at a smaller FOB needed immediate evacuation or he would die.

I have had the pleasure of attending some of the best schools the Army has to offer. One school recently taught me the valuable lesson of knowing my personal limitations regarding high-altitude flight.

There I was, looking down an 11,000-foot runway at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. I was working on my instrument rating, and navigating the labyrinth of taxiway here intimated all new pilots, especially this one.