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[ MUSIC ]

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>> NOW, LOOKING BACK,

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I WOULD'VE TOLD MYSELF,

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"HEY, JUST PAUSE AND APPRECIATE

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"WHAT'S ACTUALLY HAPPENING

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"AROUND YOU AND THE MAGIC OF

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"THE MOMENT THAT YOU'RE IN."

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[ MUSIC ]

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MY CALL SIGN'S GRINDER.

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I'M CURRENTLY OUT OF

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EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE.

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MY WIFE HOLLY AND I ARE BOTH

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ORIGINALLY FROM CEDAR FALLS,

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IOWA, BUT WE'RE OUT AT

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EDWARDS NOW WITH

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OUR THREE CHILDREN.

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I'M CURRENTLY THE F-35

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SQUADRON COMMANDER AND

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WHAT WE CALL THE INTEGRATED

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TEST FORCE DIRECTOR THAT'S

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DOING DEVELOPMENTAL TESTS

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FOR THE F-35.

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[ MUSIC ]

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MY DESIRE TO BE AN ASTRONAUT

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HAS EVOLVED OVER TIME.

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EARLY ON IN LATE GRADE SCHOOL,

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I REALLY HAD AN INTEREST

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IN FLYING.

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AND THEN AS I LEARNED MORE

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ABOUT FLYING AND ACTUALLY

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GOT INTO THAT WORLD,

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THE TEST PILOT IDEA REALLY

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APPEALED TO ME BECAUSE

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IT WAS A VERY IDEAL

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COMBINATION OF ENGINEERING,

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WHICH I LOVE, AND THE FLYING,

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WHICH I LOVE.

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IT WAS ALWAYS SOMETHING

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IN THE BACK OF MY MIND,

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AND AS I MOVED INTO FLYING

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AND THEN FLIGHT TEST, I STARTED

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TO REALIZE HOW REWARDING

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IT POTENTIALLY COULD BE,

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AND THAT'S WHAT REALLY

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MOTIVATED ME TO APPLY.

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[ MUSIC ]

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SO I ACTUALLY KNOW EXACTLY

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THE TIME I GOT THE CALL.

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IT WAS 9:07, BECAUSE I WAS

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IN THE MIDDLE OF ABOUT TO

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START BRIEFING A FLIGHT TEST

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MISSION OUT AT EDWARDS.

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AND SO CHRIS AND BK CALLED ME,

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AND THEN AS SOON AS I HUNG UP

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THE PHONE, WENT AND BRIEFED

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THE MISSION, FLEW THE MISSION,

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DEBRIEFED THE MISSION--

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AND ALL THAT WHOLE TIME

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KIND OF HAVING OBVIOUSLY NOT

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LET MY WINGMEN OR ANYONE ELSE

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KNOW IN THE TEST MISSION

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WHAT HAD JUST HAPPENED.

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[ MUSIC ]

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I THINK MY DAD WAS

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A HUGE INFLUENCE IN THAT.

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SO HE HAD IMMIGRATED

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FROM INDIA.

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HE HAD DONE THAT BY BEING

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THE BEST ENGINEER HE COULD.

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AND SO THAT, TO ME,

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AS A YOUNG CHILD AND-- YOU KNOW,

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HE BEING MY ROLE MODEL

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WAS SOMETHING THAT JUST

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NATURALLY HAPPENED.

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I GREW UP WITH THE MENTALITY

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THAT EDUCATION TRULY IS

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A GIFT NOT TO BE

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TAKEN FOR GRANTED.

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AND HAVING HIM AS AN ENGINEER,

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THAT JUST QUITE HONESTLY,

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IT WASN'T ANYTHING ELSE TO DO.

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[ MUSIC ]

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WHEN I WAS IN YOUNG

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ELEMENTARY SCHOOL, I'D PROBABLY

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TELL MYSELF JUST TO RELAX

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A LITTLE BIT AND ENJOY,

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AND DON'T BE STRESSED OUT.

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I DON'T REMEMBER A WHOLE LOT

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OF IT, BUT FROM WHAT MY MOM

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RELAYS TO ME, I WAS APPARENTLY

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A VERY UPTIGHT CHILD.

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AS I MOVE INTO LATER PHASES

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OF MY LIFE, I THINK

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WHAT I WOULD TELL MYSELF--

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"STOP AND APPRECIATE

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"THE STATE THAT YOU'RE IN."

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[ MUSIC ]