Living Her Aviation Dream by U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Destinee Sweeney
July 16, 2019
Not many jobs hold as much appeal as that of a pilot. The
freedom, the blue skies and the adventure draws people from all
walks of life to find a way to get their flying license. Often
times, those wide-eyed dreamers find a recruiter’s office to be a
great avenue for their aspirations.
Since around age ten,
Jennifer West has wanted to be an Army pilot.
“I was a nerd
as a kid,” said West. “Reading about the history of the United
States and how the military played a role, I thought, ‘What a great
organization to be a part of and what a great way to serve your
country.’”
The aspiring pilot set off to accomplish her goals
starting in high school when she joined the Junior Reserve Officers’
Training Corps, a program designed to prepare students for a
potential military career.
While in JROTC, she was further
inspired by her instructor, a retired command sergeant major who
worked with UH-1 Hueys in Vietnam. As an early mentor to future
Capt. West, the instructor would go on to help her get into the U.S.
Military Academy at West Point and set her on the path to success.
 April 4, 2019 - U.S. Army
Capt. Jennifer West, 1-228th Aviation Regiment Bravo Company
commander, stands by a CH-47 Chinook at Soto Cano Air Base,
Honduras. West aspired to be an aviator from an early age,
achieving her dream as a pilot that currently involves
serving at Joint Task Force-Bravo, leading the
Chinook company to strengthen partnerships and counter
threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Destinee
Sweeney)
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“I was already interested in being an aviation officer so I went
to the academy with the hope and dream that I would become one,”
said West. “That drove my determination and was my motivating factor
to do well in school.”
Hearing the stories of her instructors
in the aviation branch only furthered her commitment to get her
wings. At the end of her time at the academy, the senior class
gathered to receive their branch assignments together.
“I was high enough in my class to have a pretty good idea that I was
going to get aviation, but seeing the insignia on the card, it was
the best reward I could get for all the hard work over the years and
a dream come true for me,” said West.
Describing her aviation
career as a unique experience, West explained she began her journey
with the OH-58 Cairo Warrior, a light-weight reconnaissance
helicopter, which she flew in Hawaii and South Korea. Unfortunately,
the bird was retired from the active-duty inventory and the pilots
were re-assigned aircraft.
“We were selected for alternate
aircraft. Some of us went to the (AH-64 Apaches), some of us went
fixed-wing and I was able to choose the CH-47 Chinook,” said West.
“I’ve always thought the Chinook was an incredibly powerful aircraft
with how it’s able to manipulate the environment on the ground with
what it can carry, whether that’s carrying 30 people in the back or
moving entire companies of artillery, it’s able to change the
terrain of the battlefield very quickly.”
Although the actual
flying aspect was a quick transition, West said learning the new
mission set took a while, going from an attack-reconnaissance
mindset and working with one other pilot to a heavy-lift mindset and
having an entire crew by her side.
After jumping into the
Chinook world with both feet ahead of her, West quickly
distinguished herself at her next assignment at Soto Cano Air Base,
Honduras. Starting as the assistant S3, she stood out as a pilot and
eventually became the commander of the 1st Battalion 228th Aviation
Regiment’s Bravo Company, also known as the “Sugarbears”.
West said it’s a unique assignment and very rewarding seeing the
impact of her work on partner nations and U.S. forces in the region.
“CPT West made an immediate impression on me when I personally
witnessed her capabilities as an aviator in the CH-47,” said Lt.
Col. Christopher Cook, 1-228th Avn Regt. commander. “When flying,
she capitalizes on each opportunity to train junior aviators on the
specific systems and capabilities of the aircraft. Her outstanding
technical proficiency instills confidence in her company and enables
her to easily lead her company as a tactical and technical expert.”
West is about to celebrate her 1000th flight hour in the
Chinook and recently oversaw the movement of nearly a million pounds
of equipment in Operation Darien Lift. Many leaders on base see
bright things in the Sugarbear commander’s future, including her
next assignment as a “Nightstalker” in the elite 160th Special
Operations Aviation Regiment.
“How army aviation assets
support the ground forces is an awe-inspiring mission to be a part
of and the fact that you get to dominate from the skies was even
more of a wow-factor for me,” said West, who is gearing up to focus
on her next assignment and has her sights set on eventually
commanding a battalion.
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