The certificate shows humor.
“… did knowingly and willingly forsake the laws of nature and rational thinking by single-handedly taking Boeing T-45C Goshawk number 165470 off the ground and maneuvering it in the air, displaying no apparent fear of death and several acts of aerial proficiency, only to bring it back somewhat safely to the ground, thus completing a Solo Flight.”
The name of each new aviator preceded the statement. It was signed and handed to each of seven new pilots by Commander T.L. Kellner, the commanding officer in charge of training at the Naval Air Station in Meridian, Miss.
Meridian is one of a handful of bases that train future Navy and Marine pilots. It is less well-known than Pensacola in Florida or the Marine air station at Miramar in San Diego. Meridian trains about 150 pilots a year.
The language of the certificate is a massive understatement of the intensity and rigor of the actual training. I returned to the base a day later, for instance, in hopes of watching another young pilot land after he completed the most dangerous of the required tasks.
The task? Flying in formation, wingtip to wingtip… at 400 feet.
Yes. You read that right: 400 feet off the ground, with wingtips 3 feet apart. This puts them less than two seconds from death. It has the highest fatality rate in all their training. In actual combat flight, they may fly lower.
Not for the faint of heart. Very much for focused, disciplined and very smart people, typically in their mid-20s. They are graduates of demanding schools. This group had graduated from places such as the Naval Academy and Yale.
Check out yours truly doing a flight simulator carrier landing IMG_3578
Later in the day, the group were “Winged” in the base chapel. The gold wings were pinned to their chests by proud family members.
As you have likely guessed, the seven in this group include a grandson, Dylan. He’s why I’ve driven the 700 miles from Johnson City, Texas, to Meridian, Miss., and back in five days.
He’s an Aggie with a degree in physics. He grew up sandwiched between an older sister (Texas A&M, mathematics and computer science) and a younger sister (Texas A&M, now completing her Ph.D. in bioengineering). I like to think this is why he is blessed with a well-developed sense of humor and modesty.
All seven of the new pilots will go on for a year of further training, in specific aircraft. Dylan will be training in an F-35, the airplane he hoped to fly. Each of these planes costs a minimum of $89 million, probably before avionics. Certainly before being loaded with its various missile options in an age where most air combat will not be dog fights. Instead, it will be over the horizon, beyond visual sight range.
So, on this Fourth of July weekend, I’m feeling proud and grateful.
Grateful that our schools, whatever the loud noises of complaint from all political persuasions, have still managed to produce some very capable graduates who are mentally, physically and morally beyond strong. Just flat out amazing.
Grateful that our military still swears an oath to our Constitution, a document many still strive to live up to. Grateful to the same military for its effort to bring out the best in all its recruits, whatever their innate capabilities.
Grateful for the families that support and sustain all the men and women who stand ready to keep our homeland safe.
My only wish? That our politicians could possess the same level of backbone and courage
Related columns:
Scott Burns, “Mathematically Blonde,” 5/12/2019: https://scottburns.com/mathematically-blonde/
Scott Burns, “Make Immigration Great Again!”, 5/15/24: https://scottburns.com/make-immigration-great-again/
Sources and References:
Meridian Naval Air Station: https://cnrse.cnic.navy.mil/installations/nas-meridian/
The Constitution of the United States: https://www.senate.gov/about/origins-foundations/senate-and-constitution/constitution.htm
This information is distributed for education purposes, and it is not to be construed as an offer, solicitation, recommendation, or endorsement of any particular security, product, or service.
Photo: Scott Burns, group photo of Dylan with his squadron mates and the T-45 training jet.
Video: Shelby DeVries Barraza, A barely passable carrier landing by me in an amazing T-45 flight simulator after several crashes…
(c) Scott Burns, 2026