Wings & Code
C-130 Combat Flight Engineer, U.S. Air Force (1995–2003). Where precision under fire became second nature.
Precision Under Fire
In Bosnia's bitter chill and Iraq's dusty chaos, I learned that systems thinking isn't just theory. It's survival. Every subsystem must integrate flawlessly under stress. One misread gauge could cost lives; one moment's hesitation could mean mission failure.
Systems Integration
Monitoring multiple aircraft systems simultaneously at 20,000 feet. Turboprops, hydraulics, electrical systems, each requiring constant vigilance and split-second decision making.
Crisis Management
Emergency procedures and in-flight troubleshooting under combat conditions. Learning to remain calm under pressure while executing precise technical procedures.
Team Coordination
Working as part of flight crews where communication is critical and every team member's role is essential to mission success and crew safety.
Technical Documentation
Precise record-keeping and technical reporting. Understanding that documentation isn't bureaucracy. It's the foundation of reliable systems and continuous improvement.
Military Service Gallery
C-130 Combat Aircraft
Bosnia & Herzegovina, 1998
Flight Deck Operations
Mission Briefing
Flight Crew Training
Combat Flight Engineering
Lessons That Shaped Everything
Redundancy Saves Lives
Every critical system needs backup plans. This principle now guides how I architect software, from database failover to API retry logic.
Rapid Diagnostics
Learning to quickly isolate problems in complex systems. Whether it's hydraulic pressure or a memory leak, the methodology is the same: systematic elimination.
Calm Under Pressure
When systems fail at altitude, panic is not an option. This mental discipline became muscle memory, essential for debugging production outages or handling investor demos.
From Military to Civilian Tech
Fresh out of uniform in 2003, I discovered Linux shells and PHP scripts. The same rigor I applied to aircraft systems would soon architect web services for millions of users.