Big Perm: F/A-18 Fighter Pilot, Combat Drone Shootdown, and the Next Chapter with NASA featuring Alexandra Mensing

In this episode, Robert “Bob” Pizzini is joined by Alexandra (“Big Perm”) Mensing, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot. Alexandra recounts growing up in Raleigh, the influence of sports and coaching, choosing the Naval Academy, and completing leadership and survival training including NOLS and SERE. She explains aviation and jet selection, E/F single- vs two-seat aircraft, and carrier operations, including Arctic Circle “blue nose” deployment, NATO exercises, and later Middle East operations. She describes combat defensive counter-air missions and becoming the first female naval aviator to employ an AIM-120 to destroy a one-way attack drone threatening the USS Harry S. Truman, alongside the stresses of events like a friendly-fire shootdown and ejections. Alexandra discusses leadership as building team commitment, transitioning to the Navy Reserve, and starting a NASA Langley SkillBridge internship while exploring airlines and business.

Learn about all of these and more nuggets of insight in this latest episode of the Elevate Your Leadership podcast.

KEY TAKEAWAYS

Sports build crucial leadership foundations - volleyball coach Lee demonstrated the balance of pushing hard during practice while being supportive afterward

Naval aviation selection is merit-based and gradual - grades, performance, and timing determine assignments from basic flight school through specific aircraft

SERE school's psychological training proves invaluable - the mental aspects of survival and humanizing yourself in capture scenarios matter more than physical skills

Combat deployments require flexibility - from Arctic operations to Red Sea drone defense, naval aviators adapt to rapidly changing global threats

First female naval aviator to employ AIM-120 in combat - shot down one-way attack drone threatening USS Harry S. Truman with radar-guided missile after IR missile failed

Leadership means building commitment, not compliance - great leaders make people want to be part of something rather than forcing them through authority

Career transitions require accepting when you're "complete" - knowing when you've accomplished your goals allows confident movement to the next chapter

QUOTES

"Just work hard during practice, but then be super friendly afterwards. So a good balance of being tough to get you to work hard, but then like congratulatory when you did something well"