Major Lauren “Threat” Schlichting ’12 is one of solely six feminine pilots in the 69-yr historical past of the squadron and the second feminine Thunderbird to have graduated from the University of St. Thomas in Minnesota.
During the present, Schlichting and her fellow Thunderbirds will push their F-16 Falcons to the restrict in the sort of extremely choreographed close to misses that may check the nerve of even the most elite Air Force fighter pilot.
The first time she tried a decent formation loop, Schlichting realized how unnatural it was to be inverted at 500 mph with one other fighter so shut she may nearly attain out and contact it.
“You have to ignore some pretty basic survival instincts,” Schlichting mentioned. “I don’t know if people have a sense for how close we actually get to one another. There are times when my commander’s missile rail is about 18 inches away from my canopy.”
Schlichting clearly remembers the spark that ignited her ardour for aviation. “In second grade, two astronauts from NASA came to speak at our school in my hometown of Stillwater, Minnesota. The funny thing is that I was way more interested in the fact that they were pilots than the fact that they were astronauts,” Schlichting mentioned.
For Schlichting, the option to attend St. Thomas was easy. ROTC Detachment 410 had a robust repute for cultivating cadets, and the college supplied a novel subsidy protecting any remaining tuition, room and board after ROTC scholarships. St. Thomas is a pretty choice for ROTC candidates; the college acquired the Military Friendly School Gold Award in 2022.
As a math main, Schlichting appreciated the persistence and dedication of the school and the way their instance impressed her later in her profession.
After graduating from St. Thomas in 2012, Schlichting acquired her fee as an officer in the U.S. Air Force and attended flight faculty, the place she earned a coveted fighter pilot task. In 2018, she deployed to Iraq in assist of Operation Inherent Freedom the place she logged over 420 fight hours in her F-15E Strike Eagle.
Upon her return from deployment, Schlichting went on to develop into an Air Force flight teacher, the place the instance set by her math professors from St. Thomas proved very helpful.
“I would spend long hours with my students in simulators, and I would think back to my professors at St. Thomas and how patiently they helped me work through proofs,” Schlichting mentioned. “It’s definitely something I wanted to emulate.”
Photo courtesy of U.S. Air ForceAs a feminine Thunderbird pilot, Schlichting is commonly approached by younger ladies who wish to comply with in her footsteps. “I think it’s really important when you have a dream that you see yourself in someone else who’s accomplished that dream. I go out to events, and little girls want to come talk to me. It’s special to me because I was that girl,” Schlichting mentioned.
Schlichting appreciates the profit of setting this instance as a result of it was one other University of St. Thomas graduate and feminine Thunderbird pilot who impressed her to use. Michelle “Mace” Curran ’09 served in the Air Force from 2009-21. Curran accomplished a tour of responsibility in Afghanistan in 2016, and in 2019 she turned simply the fifth feminine pilot in Thunderbird historical past.
During the choice course of, present Thunderbird pilots have a chance to weigh in on candidates.
“When Lauren applied to become a member of the Thunderbirds, I was involved in the hiring process, and I was a huge advocate for her, but if her skills and her personality weren’t there, it wouldn’t have mattered how much I advocated for her,” Curran mentioned. “She had all of the abilities, she had an incredible repute and he or she was one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met, which was additionally very obvious to everybody else. So it was cool to have the ability to assist push for her somewhat bit as a result of she was simply the good particular person for the job.
“I knew Lauren from St. Thomas. She was a freshman when I was a senior, and we were in Detachment 410 together. I wonder if me becoming a Thunderbird pilot had any impact on Lauren becoming one too,” Curran mentioned.
Schlichting left little doubt. “I followed Michelle through her career. When she got a pilot slot in the Thunderbirds, I thought she was so cool, and I knew it was what I wanted to do,” Schlichting mentioned.
As commander of ROTC Detachment 410, Lt. Col. Mike Fiandt retains a detailed eye on the careers of former officers in coaching. “It’s always exciting to hear about the amazing accomplishments of our Det 410 alumni and what they’re doing out on active duty. Major Schlichting’s selection as a Thunderbird pilot is a testament to her dedication, character, and excellence, not only as a pilot but as a U.S. Air Force officer,” Fiandt mentioned. “Major Schlichting and Michelle Curran exemplify the culture of leadership, service, teamwork, and excellence produced by our Air Force ROTC program and the St. Thomas community.”
