Last week I received the news of my unexpected layoff from Johnson and Johnson after nine years of service, I was in shock. The emotions that followed were overwhelming. I felt a sense of disappointment as I realized that I would have to tell my family about the situation, I have a daughter starting college in the Fall, what will this mean for my future career goals…?
As an aviator on a C-130 aircraft, I know that precision and attention to detail are critical during the “run-in” sequence of an airdrop mission. The memory of a failed run-in during the Sabre Junction exercise in 2016 came back to me, and it provided a sense of perspective and guidance in these trying times.
During an exercise called “Sabre Junction,” we were tasked with airdropping several Humvees to a designated drop zone. We were the last aircraft in the formation, known as “Tail End Charlie.” We followed the procedures from the C-130 checklist for airdropping heavy equipment, including the “20 min advisory,” “10 min advisory,” “Slowdown checklist,” “1 minute advisory,” “5 seconds,” and “Green light” calls. Everything seemed to be going according to plan until we received radio calls from the drop zone about the #3 aircraft load “burning in,” which means the chute did not deploy, causing the load to “burn in” and be destroyed. The same thing happened to the #6 aircraft. As the Tail End Charlie, I could hear and see this happening but could only control our run-in and our airdrop. Despite the setback, we decided to continue with our mission and drop our load. Unfortunately, our load also burned in. We did not find out this had happened until we returned to Italy, where our leadership was waiting for us. After an investigation, the sabotage was confirmed, and two years later, the people responsible were sentenced to military prison.
The news of being sabotaged was frustrating and disappointing, and it created uncertainty about the mission’s success. However, the resilience and determination of the crew were evident as we continued with our mission, and it taught me the importance of staying focused and adaptable in the face of unexpected challenges. The feeling of uncertainty and stress that followed the news of the layoff reminded me of the stress we experienced during the failed run-in.
Looking back on the experience, I realize that the lessons I learned during the Sabre Junction exercise are just as relevant today. The shock and disappointment of the layoff were overwhelming, but the memory of the failed run-in provided perspective and guidance. We must remain vigilant and observant, even in seemingly routine situations, and be prepared to make quick decisions when necessary. Despite the challenges we face, we must remain resilient and committed to our mission and our goals. It’s easy after a layoff or a failed run-in to lick our wounds but we cannot stay there forever. We must get ready for the next sortie but we can absolutely make reflection and prioritizing our mental health a part of that plan so that we do not carry bitterness out of this experience for our families and future colleagues to deal with.
As the founder of Guiding Lights Leadership, I believe that adversity is a blessing in disguise, and it presents an opportunity to grow and develop. I encourage my readers to look at my LinkedIn activity and see the people who I have highlighted that need help finding a new job. They are AMAZING people and brilliant engineers.
As I explore Executive Level roles to help lead organizations through situations such as these, I hope to share the lessons I learned from my mentors and leaders during my time in the Air Force and JNJ. Together, we can create more leaders for the Kingdom and emerge stronger from adversity.
For those who want to watch the actual footage which inspired this article follow this link and be ready for a little bit of salty language: https://youtu.be/l-YsSL65quM