Jan 8, 2022
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Today we hear the Combat Story of Kim “KC” Campbell, a retired
Air Force Colonel and A-10 Fighter Pilot.
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Kim racked up over 1.8K flight hours in the Warthog; 375 of those
in combat across more than 100 combat missions in Iraq and
Afghanistan. She also has one of the coolest call signs ever:
Killer Chick.
For anyone who’s been on the ground and seen an A-10 on a gun run,
you can understand why so many ground pounders love this platform.
For Apache pilots, the A-10 is our fixed wing cousin and we feel a
very close affinity with this incredible machine. Outside the
cockpit, Kim led the Air Force Academy’s Center for Character and
Leadership Development and, since retiring, has carried that
expertise to the private sector where she provides leadership
development training and team engagement.
She’s also a keynote and motivational speaker. Kim, like many
fighter pilots, is driven, dedicated, and successful. She’s
delivered rounds on target in heated battles and narrowly avoided
death, including being hit with a Surface to Air Missile.
I hope you enjoy this insightful Combat Story from the cockpit of
THE Killer Chick as much as I did.
Find Kim Online:
Website
LinkedIN
Twitter @kchawg987
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Facebook @combatstoryofficial
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Intro Song: Sport Rock from Audio Jungle
Show Notes
0:00 - Intro
1:01 - Guest introduction (Kim “KC” Campbell)
2:10 - Interview begins
2:46 - Origin of her fighter pilot call sign
7:30 - Early years and what enamored her with flight
12:55 - Why Air Force Academy?
18:18 - Choosing her aircraft
22:14 - Where she was on 911 and how it changed her training
24:43 - Going to Afghanistan immediately after training
27:23 - A quiet first combat mission in Afghanistan
34:48 - Firing from the A-10 for the first time
44:05 - Combat Story #1 - First kinetic operation in Iraq
50:30 - Combat Story #2 - The mission that was a defining
moment
1:18:18 - Combat Story #3 - In combat as a flight lead
1:29:47 - Leadership development, team building, and powerful
leadership advice
1:40:22 - What did you carry into combat?
1:44:31 - Would you do it all again?
1:46:07 - Listener comments and shout outs