Her skill on the court led to recruitment by professional teams in the European leagues. Pickrell’s career took her to Switzerland for her first season, followed by time in Poland, and a return to Switzerland, before concluding with a final season in Germany.
While playing professional volleyball abroad, Pickrell began to reflect on her childhood dream of becoming a pilot. Living overseas deepened her appreciation for her country and inspired a strong desire to pursue her dream of serving as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.
After returning to the U.S. directly from her time competing on the European professional volleyball circuit, she hit the ground running, dedicating herself to earning her private pilot’s license in preparation for the rigorous Undergraduate Pilot Training program.
Pickrell enlisted the guidance and support of the many Air Force pilots she had grown up with, including her father’s lifelong friends and fellow aviators, Lt. Col. Mark Stevens and Lt. Col. David “Scotty” Dufreche, who flew on many training flights with her while she prepared for the academy.
“Cassidy was an absolute natural,” Stevens said. “She flew multiple hours with me and then for her next set of hours she flew with her uncle Scotty Dufreche, to make sure she liked to go upside down and do loops. She wanted to keep flying all day, he told me he had to tell her to land, because she wore him out.”
In July 2021, Pickrell began her pilot training on the T-6 Texan II alongside her fellow classmates at Vance AFB, Oklahoma. Throughout the rigorous program, she maintained nightly conversations with her father who learned an entirely new planes system publication to help her study. He shared insights and guidance with her as she progressed through each phase of training. Their discussions not only strengthened her skills but also deepened the familial legacy of dedication and service that has shaped her journey.
“Cassidy was such a dedicated student,” Pickrell, Jr. said “She would call me to go over the system of the week or the two systems of the week while she was in pilot training. We would talk through it together, and then the next night I would question her about it to make sure she knew it. She was a self-starter with all her instrument’s training, as well.”
At her March 2022 graduation, Pickrell was honored by her classmates with the Top Wingman Award for her T-6 class. She later received the distinguished Risner Award during her July 2022 graduation upon completing the T-1 class. Both peer-selected honors recognize individuals who demonstrate exceptional leadership and a strong commitment to supporting their fellow students.
“I just always tried to include everyone in everything and took the extra time to help my people when they asked for it,” Pickrell said. “I feel like most of my class was that way though, so it truly was an honor and shock when I was gifted those awards.”