Review: It's not  easy but it is worth it
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 10 29, 2011
This is a story of never saying never.  It is a story of keeping your eye on the prize and it is a story of perserverance.  The author always wanted to be a pilot and he refused to take no for an answer.  His journey makes for a very enjoyable read.  He takes us behing the scenes to the recruitment offices, the military testing sites, the boot camps and to multiple training facilities.  He debunks the myths and confirms the rigors of officer training.  He shows us a compelling profile of an individual who is exceedingly talented but that is, more importantly, exceedlingly persistant.His life is truly 90% perspiration and 10% inspiration but I believe that he also had his share of fantastic support and he acknowledges as much.  His parents kept an eye on him even when he thought that he had marched off without their support, his aviation school offered him a grant when he was living out of his car, a well meaning recruiting officer came into the waiting room and exactly the right time and made up for the transgressions of an inane military medical doctor, his instructors are patient and encouraging and his wife and family are as good as a family can be.He had setbacks and these setbacks were used to further his training and his growth. He continued to train and to improve with every one of his setbacks always knowing that all the additional training would only make him the best fighter pilot that he could be.  The initial 'NO' in his life served him well and it made him stronger than he would have ever been otherwise.This book recounts the rigors of becoming an airforce fighter pilot but it also reminded me, as a parent, of how important it is for young people to experience a 'NO'. It also reminds me that while young people need to have the support they need to fulfil their dreams, care need to be taken in order that a parent not do too much.  There is a thin line between support and enabling and this author reminds us that while he got support, the desire to succeed came completely and entirely, from inside him.