What Fighter Pilots Actually Think About Leadership, War Movies, and the Myths People Believe

Retired Marine Corps officer, combat veteran, and former F/A-18 pilot, Dave Berke deployed twice from the USS John C. Stennis in support of operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. He served three years as an Instructor Pilot at TOPGUN as Training Officer and senior staff pilot. He also worked as a Forward Air Controller during urban combat in Ramadi, Iraq, supporting SEAL Task Unit Bruiser. Dave was the first operational pilot qualified in both the F-22 Raptor and F-35B, commanding the Marine Corps' first F-35 squadron. Now at Echelon Front (founded by Jocko Willink and Leif Babin), he teaches leadership as a learnable skill. Michelle "Mace" Curran is a former U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter pilot who flew combat missions in Afghanistan and served as Lead Solo pilot for the Thunderbirds (2019-2022). With over 2,000 hours in the F-16, she broke barriers as one of the elite demonstration team's first female lead solos. Author of The Flipside: How to Invert Your Perspective and Turn Fear Into Your Superpower, she now delivers keynotes on overcoming fear, building trust, and decisive action. Based in Las Vegas, she empowers teams through her military-honed insights. If you like this, click subscribe, like and share with a friend. Follow Travis on: Instagram: @travischappell TikTok: @traviscchappell Facebook: /traviscchappell Twitter: @traviscchappell