#93 - Kim "KC" Campbell - Fighter Pilot's Courage, Lessons, and Growth Stories

Send us Fan MailKim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission.As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.-Quick Episode Summary:Kim "KC" Campbell shares lessons on courage, mistakes, leadership, and resilience.-🌟 Torch Takeaways:Courage is about action, not the absence of fearLearning from mistakes—and moving forward—is essentialPositive self-talk can help conquer nerves and self-doubtTrust, authenticity, and connection are at the heart of leadershipGratitude for the team makes the mission possible-Chapters:00:00 Podcast Guest Pursuit Journey04:15 Pilot's Challenges and Lessons09:03 Reflecting on the Challenger Experience10:51 Enjoy the Journey12:50 Chief Robinson's Inspiring Leadership Mentorship16:59 Airplane Incident and Aftermath20:38 Courage in Fearful Moments24:01 Redefining Leadership Expectations28:46 "Write Your Own Success Story"32:30 "Flying with Reassuring Leader Spanky"33:01 Gas Mask Drill Recollection39:27 "Book's Message"Support the showConnect with Passing The Torch: Facebook and IG: @torchmartinMore Amazing Stories:Episode 41: Lee Ellis – Freeing You From Bond That Make You InsecureEpisode 81: Kurt Warner – Perseverance, Humility, and Lighting the Way Episode 90: Michelle 'MACE' Curran – How to Turn Fear into Fuel------------© 2026 TORCH LEAP®, LLC. All rights reserved.