PALS keynote ‘FlyGirl’: ‘You have permission to engage’

“FlyGirl” took Heidelberg by storm Thursday. From sharing details of a harrowing combat mission over Iraq to taking us on a high-energy adventure through her life, America’s first Black female combat pilot encouraged ‘Berg students to get gutsy to accomplish the goals that really matter.

Heidelberg hosted Vernice “FlyGirl” Armour as the keynote presenter in this fall’s Patricia Adams Lecture Series. Throughout her visit, the military veteran and now entrepreneur met with small and large groups of students and delivered an unforgettable and meaningful keynote address at the dinner Thursday evening.

“We don’t know what’s going to happen tomorrow, let alone six months from now,” “FlyGirl” said. “It’s really important to plan your mission.”

This lesson was driven home early in her military career during a tour in Iraq when “FlyGirl” was piloting an aircraft assigned to help a squadron “with only 20 minutes of fuel and almost out of ammunition.” She pulled the trigger one last time, destroyed the target and soldiers came home.

“It was an amazing moment, being able to accomplish the mission and save the lives of soldiers on the ground.”

That mission was successful because the flight plan worked. It’s the same framework students can apply to their lives, according to “FlyGirl.” “Your flight plan – your framework – will take you from where you are to where you want to be,” she said. The key to executing a successful flight plan is “flexibility and adaptability.”

Navigating obstacles is equally important. “FlyGirl” recalls a particularly disappointing encounter in flight school that sent her emotions spinning. She was ready to walk away from it all. But some good advice from her mom helped her get back on track.

“She told me, ‘Stop crying, dry your eyes and get back to work’ … basically to suck it up. That’s easy to say but not always easy to do,” she said. But with the support of friends and family – “framily” – she has learned how to overcome many of life’s obstacles that also included sexism, racism and discrimination.

At the end of the day, though, maintaining a laser focus on the mission is key.

“FlyGirl” engaged the Heidelberg audience in an exercise to raise the roof with her “magical phrase” – “You have permission to engage” – in your mission, in seeking out opportunities, in setting and achieving goals. But first, she gave the audience something to think about. “If you don’t give yourself permission to engage, who will?”

Retired from the Marines, today “FlyGirl” operates her VAI Consulting & Training LLC. Through that work, she helps individuals and organizations make gutsy moves and create breakthrough results. She also has published her first book, Zero to Breakthrough, the 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter, and is working on a second book.

She asked the students, “What’s your breakthrough mentality? How do you keep on going in spite of challenges and obstacles?” Just like her mom taught her and like her combat missions reinforced, “The answer is simply refusing to settle.”

One way to not settle is to always be on the lookout for opportunities.

“Opportunities don’t go away. You have a whole life of opportunities ahead of you, so don’t let people take them away from you. Make your break. You can still create an amazing now … one mission, one goal, one team,” she concluded.