Pilot and flight commander selected for INNERview Published Feb. 28, 2014 By Senior Airman Elizabeth Van Patten 94th Airlift Wing Public Affairs DOBBINS AIR RESERVE BASE, Ga. -- INNERview is a special spotlight for members of Team Dobbins who don't always get recognized for their accomplishments on base and outside of the gates. If you would like to nominate someone, please call Public Affairs at (678) 655-5055 or email the editor at 94AW.PA@us.af.mil. Maj. Charlie Pickett Position: Pilot and flight commander Hometown: Durham, N.C. Civilian Job: Boeing 717 pilot for Delta Airlines What does your job entail? My primary job is mission commander for C-130 formation airdrops. Secondary job is a flight commander, to rate, manage and help the progression of junior officers and pilots within the 700th Airlift Squadron. What do you enjoy most about your job? I enjoy working with the aircrews and getting stuff on target, on time. That's the name of our game. What is your most recent accomplishment? I'm happy to be here every day. It was a big accomplishment to get an inter-service transfer from the Marine Corps to the Air Force Reserve. Even though it was about two and half years ago, it was a really big accomplishment and I really appreciate it. What challenges have you faced since transitioning to the Air Force? As a pilot, the biggest challenge has been adapting to the way the Air Force operates. It's different than the Marine Corps. There's more oversight and more regulations. Being in accordance with those is a challenge. I'm at a slight disadvantage learning these things late in my career, where the younger pilots are learning these things from the beginning. I served in the Marine Corps 15 years. The Air Force environment is administratively different. How did you overcome this challenge? It's a constant challenge. I hit the books, learn and ask a lot of questions. Sometimes it can be hard for a guy in my position to say, "I don't know." I get help from my peers. Hopefully, I'm creating an environment where everyone can see that it's okay to ask for help. We are a team. What do you do for recreation? I like to fly-fish. It's a new sport for me. I grew up fishing, but there's world-class trout fishing in the Georgia area, so I picked up fly-fishing about a year and a half ago. That's how I spend my time, when I'm not reading about Air Force regulations! What advice would you give someone interested in the military? Be ready for anything. What you think is going to be, it may not be. It may be disappointment some days. It may be exhilarating, but you will never be bored. Just be patient and remember that what you work toward may be different than what you achieve. Not bad, just different. You worked hard to get here, try and enjoy it. What is your favorite movie? Top Gun. I know...a Navy movie. Growing up I've always wanted to fly. Which character do you identify with? Hollywood the goofball! Tell us an interesting fact about yourself. My wife and I spend a lot of time working with Southeast German Pointer rescue. We work to get them rescued, rehabilitated and adopted. That's probably what I'm most proud of and takes up the majority of our free time.
