Ben Bines

Title/firm: Director of Enterprise Improvement – East / Dynasty Monetary Companions

Department: U.S. Navy

Rank held at starting of service and at finish: Ensign / Lieutenant

Service dates: 2002 – 2012

Work you probably did: I flew as a Naval Aviator within the single-seat F/A-18C Hornet and F/A-18E Tremendous Hornet Strike Fighter plane variants for the VFA-136 Knighthawks out of Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia Seashore, Virginia.

Temporary story that stands out out of your service time: On my first mission into Afghanistan as a brand new single-seat F/A-18C pilot, my plane had a serious hydraulic system failure. I used to be flying on the wing of our squadron Commanding Officer (CO), David “Killer” Culler, an ideal American. It was night time, and we had pushed into Southern Afghanistan the place we’d refuel on an Air Power tanker earlier than beginning our first Shut Air Help (CAS) mission. As my refueling probe seated within the refueling basket, my warning panel lit up and my jet started an uncontrolled left-hand descending flip that I might solely cease by going full afterburner, rapidly burning my remaining gasoline. There was a sign that if I attempted to reset the hydraulic system, I’d dump all my hydraulic fluid, resulting in an ejection. I used to be not going to push the reset button.

Killer had seen this earlier than and advised me to reset anyway. I adopted his recommendation, and I bought again sufficient flight controls to return out of the afterburner and keep in management. I used to be now extraordinarily low on gasoline, I’d misplaced a number of essential flight controls and methods, and our refueling tanker had left us resulting from low gasoline. A British L1011 refueling crew got here to the rescue and refueled us outdoors of regular parameters, making it a little bit of a hair-raising evolution. After many hours of working the issue, we flew again to the plane provider for an evening lure. I nonetheless had a number of failed flight controls. As soon as aboard, Killer took me apart for some helpful phrases of encouragement. The following day, it was time to fly once more. I credit score Killer with getting me dwelling that night time.