Often when you get career advice in the military it isn’t to follow your interests and passion. But Nancy’s career in the military is marked by her following what she found interesting and then if it didn’t fit trying something new. These choices led her to be a Flight Test Engineer and changed the course of her career that began in a Program Office at Hanscom Air Force Base. After twenty years of service she left the military and has started a new career while also still working through the process of transitioning out of the military.
Follow your passion in the military
Nancy was planning to attend an engineering school and was looking for a way to pay for it. ROTC kept coming up in her internet search so she called to learn more. The Air Force was the only one who picked up the phone. So, she and her parents met with the ROTC team and learned about the scholarship and benefits. Without a lot of research she ended up joining the Air Force ROTC unit and commissioned 4 years later.
Beginning her career as an engineer
She started her career at Hanscom in a program office. It wasn’t quite was she expected. She was looking for hands on engineering and instead was the tech lead for programs. When she learned about a program where she could go back to school to get her masters and then head to the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) she jumped at it. She loved her time at school. And then headed off to the NRO and was surprised by the amount of meetings and lack of hands on engineering. At the NRO she learned about the opportunity to be a Flight Test Engineer and applied. And headed off to Edwards AFB to attend Test Pilot School.
Becoming a Flight Test Engineer
She loved being part of the test community and stayed there for the rest of her career. We discussed my interview with Eileen Bjorkman who wrote the book Fly Girls Revolt. She was also a Flight Test Engineer and shares pieces of her story in her book.
As a flight test engineer had the opportunity to work with the B-52, B-1 and B-2. She also was an instructor for Test Pilot School. And she also worked as a commander of a squadron. At the end of her command tour she had 2 more years until she could retire. She wanted to go back and work at a squadron and was able to leverage her pilot license as helicopter pilot she had gotten in her free time to work at Eglin AFB. Despite arrive in September 2019 right before the COVID-19 pandemic she enjoyed her time and the mission. She had great leadership to guide them through the pandemic. Then she left the military in 2021 and has been working as a contractor for NASA.