Thunderbird pilot talks to cadets on teamwork's importance

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Steve German
  • Air Force News Agency
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNEWS) --  When Cadet 1st Class Nicole Malachowski received her commission, Mel Gibson won an Oscar for his role in Braveheart, "Kiss From A Rose" by Seal could be heard regularly on the radio and Great Britain was in the throes of a mad cow disease outbreak.

Now, 11 years later, Major Malachowski returned to her alma mater at the U.S. Air Force Academy as a seasoned commissioned officer, fighter pilot and member of the Air Force's premier aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds.

The 1996 academy graduate spoke to cadets and students from local schools about the importance of diversity and teamwork, and the role it plays in the Air Force.

"You never know who your wingman is going to be." Major Malachowski told a packed auditorium. "Whether they're a different race than you, or they're a man or a woman, it just doesn't matter."

Dressed in her blue Thunderbirds flight suit sporting the Thunderbird's patch, Major Malachowski said it was important for her to speak to tomorrow's officers.

"These are the future leaders of our country and also, they're going to become leaders of our Air Force during a time of war," she said. "It's about understanding how each of us has a place and each of us has value in this air force and together it's our collective talents that makes us the world's greatest air and space power."

Prior to becoming a member of the Thunderbirds in 2005, Major Malachowski served as an F-15E instructor pilot and flight commander with the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, United Kingdom. She has logged more than 1,900 hours, with more than 1,700 hours in the F-15E Strike Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon as well as doing combat missions in Iraq.

Comment on this story (comments may be published on Air Force Link)

Click here to view the comments/letters page