Month: March 2018

The dictionary defines a “legend” an extremely famous or notorious person, especially in a particular field.

I’ve never met anyone who better deserves this title than LtCol Robert “Muck” Brown –  A-10 Attack Pilot, Husband, Father, Brother, Coach, Teacher, Mentor, Savior,  Leader, and Friend.

No one can forget the first time they had the honor and privilege of meeting Muck.   For me, it was walking down the hallway at the Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB, NV where he greeted me (a lowly F-16 student) with a kind smile and a look that said: “all will be ok young Jedi… just keep your head up and keep going”.

We talk a lot about Muck.

We talk about how unassuming he was.  How people often mistook him at first glance.  How he quietly approached the most complex situations and always quickly brought clarity and wisdom to some incredibly complex issues – in life, warfighting, and combat.

We talk about how his perfect way of communicating with people and how he could bring disparate opinions together against a common set of goals and objectives – perfectly.

We talk about him as a young A-10 pilot forging forward to improve combat capability throughout the entire joint community, and his lifelong commitment to protecting the guys on the ground.

We talk about how after the attacks on 9/11 he left a high paying airline job to come back in the military and take a non-flying staff job so that someone else could stay in the cockpit and take the fight to the enemy.

We talk about his time in Iraq in 2002 and 2003 when he was the link between the pilots in the air and the special forces warriors on the ground – and how both parties were so blessed to have him there.

We talk about how he was as a Husband and Father – showing those in his life what true love meant through some really tough times.

We talk about how he loved teaching: kids and warfighters, and his amazing way of adapting a lesson perfectly every time to the listener.

We talk about how he saved the A-10, working to inform policymakers and along the way saved countless American and coalition lives because of his work – all while fighting cancer.

We talk about his love for aviation art, and his incredible gifts with a #2 pencil, and how you can look back at his notes today and find pictures of P-40 Flying Tiger Warhawks in the margins.

We talk about what it was like to be in the room when Muck sat down behind a drum set… Perfect, complete, magic.

And… we talk about how absolutely wonderful it was to be a Brother and friend of Mucks.

Muck passed away on this day a few years ago after bravely fighting cancer.  We all miss you like crazy Muck – but the truth is that you are still here with us through the many gifts you gave us all and the incredible life you lived.  Tonight we will raise a glass, smile a bit, laugh, and most importantly remember you and the legend you are.

I read with great sadness this morning of the passing of Professor Stephen Hawking.

I have had the incredible honor of meeting some very tough people in my life – none tougher than Squadron Leader (Ret) Ned Cullen, MBE, and his Family.

Ned is a Royal Air Force Fighter Pilot and “TopGun” graduate – and one of my best friends in the world.  He looks exactly what you would think a dashing, brave, smart talented RAF Fighter Pilot would look like – reddish blond hair and all.

Ned and I met in 2002 as our nations trained together for a very sensitive, very special mission which ultimately went down in the western deserts of Iraq in March of 2003.

On the first night of the war in Iraq, Ned was there, overhead protecting the UK Special Air Service (SAS) and our special forces while flying in his RAF Harrier jump jet – taking the fight to the enemy night after night.

One evening in April of 2003 Ned came up to me and told me he was not feeling 100% – that his fingers were tingling a bit.  That did not stop him from flying combat missions night after night.

Upon returning to the UK in the Spring of 2003 Ned was diagnosed with Motor Neuron Disease or Lou Gerhigs Disease as it’s known here in the US.

What would stop most people in their tracks… has never… not once… not for one second stopped Ned or his incredible wife Heather, or their Son Rory from attacking life.

There are hard as nails people you meet in your life… and then there is the Clan Cullen.. every single one of them.  

When I think of bravery – I think of Ned.

When I think of courage – I think of Ned.

When I think of tenacity with a huge side of humor – I think of Ned.

When I think of unconditional, never-ending, pure to the core love – I think of Heather and Rory.

Every single day the Cullens attack life no matter what gets sent their way, and every person who is blessed to know them and love them is grateful every day for the chance to be in their lives.

Today is a tough day for the world with the loss of Professor Hawking.  He was a giant of a man.

It is also a day to rejoice at the incredible honor of knowing and loving other giants who even now continue to walk this earth – and yes, I’m talking to you Clan Cullen.  I love you all.