Ejecting – Transitioning away from the RAAF

Now you’ll need to bear with me for a little bit, I’m going to talk about myself, something fighter pilots tend not to do. However, as this is a story about life transitions, especially transitioning out of the ADF, it’s a very personal and emotional one, so I need to set the scene for you.

I was one of those pilots who always dreamed about becoming a fighter pilot. I don’t recall any other career aspirations as a child. I think I read every book ever written about fighter pilots in WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam before I left high school. My sole focus and purpose was to make it into the cockpit of a single seat fighter, specifically the RAAF’s F/A-18 Hornet.

I was lucky to have this focus! I wasn’t a particularly academic kid, preferring to focus on sport and, to be honest, dream about a future of life in the cockpit. The time I should have spent in academics, was time spent washing aircraft at my local airport for pocket money, studying aviation at TAFE, and learning to fly at the Aero Club — I lived and breathed aviation. Without that aviation focus, I’m not sure what I would have done with my life in those formative years.

I was also applying to join as a pilot with the RAAF, Army and Navy while studying at school, initially to join the academy, where the ADF demonstrated great insight and knocked me back, informing me: “You don’t seem to be motivated about a degree, it seems you just want to fly”. Yep, spot on! So, I joined as a direct entry pilot.

A few years ago, I accessed my personnel file to renew my security clearances and I encourage every ex-ADF member to do so! It was a fascinating journey down memory lane, where every action I took or decision I made was forensically examined and critically assessed. Reading through this 20-year-old documentation, I was surprised by what those assessing me had to say.

I was only 19 when I joined, however one of the traits mentioned during my officer selection panel was the “degree of maturity” I exhibited. I hardly felt mature at the time! This conclusion was reached based on the commitment I had shown to becoming a pilot, to quote, “Boucousis exhibits the determination and commitment to become a pilot by holding two jobs working seven days a week to fund his flying.”

Did I mention I dropped out of uni after six weeks? I couldn’t figure out how a degree in mathematics was going to help me and I was only doing the course because I watched a video where an F-111 pilot had a degree in mathematics. There were two motivators for this decision; the first, I wasn’t very good at maths, the second, the hours I spent in the lecture theatre were hours not spent in the cockpit or earning money to fly.

Needless to say, my pre-RAAF life wasn’t the most glamourous. Mowing lawns and landscaping during the day, and working in a pub as a general hand at night and on the weekends. In between I found the time to squeeze a few hours of flying, ultimately self-funding my private pilot’s licence about the time I was selected for pilot training.

The pilot training machine for the RAAF is a work of art. Reflecting on a 16-year career in business, there is nothing as sophisticated, focused, and reliable in turning out top-notch aviators — I’d go as far to say the best in the world. I believe Australia is uniquely placed to learn from big peers in the US and UK, yet be small enough that everyone knows everyone.

When you’re “in”, it feels like it’s a little over the top, the organisation may be a little disorganised and for some reason, you don’t get every posting you want! However, compared with how other organisations run, it’s a well-oiled machine!

I don’t remember much of the specifics between joining up and starting work in the Squadron as a newly minted D-Cat fighter pilot. I do remember how it feels, the people, the professionalism, and the environment. It was second to none, efficient, and aligned in purpose and execution.

Now I may look back with rose coloured glasses, the same way an-expat always talks up home, thanks to my early discharge. I don’t believe that though. Today, I am an entrepreneur, I’ve been able to indulge my dreams and ambitions, to lie on the greener grass on the other side. You know what? It’s not that green! Maybe for a day or two, however, it’s really just the same.

Maybe I should step back quickly, to the year I was discharged and transitioned into the “real world” as a 30-year-old man with zero skills beyond flying jets at speed. This was a period of soul searching and exploration. I spent a little over a year ground bound filling a posting at the Joint Warfare College at Williamtown.

A magnificent posting in hindsight. I had no concept of how complex it was running a country! Here I learned about the many Defence and non-Defence players involved in defending our country and we integrated into the Australian government’s agenda. It set me up with skills I still apply to this day.

It was during this time we’d just finished operations in Afghanistan and Iraq. I’d come to learn a little more about NGOs, the UN and the private sector’s role in fulfilling the agenda of government and non-government agencies. So, with my discharge processes, I set up my first business with a very good friend I had made in the UK and we both jumped on a flight to Kabul and established a business, helping anyone who needed help!

The short version of a very long story goes like this. The business succeeded beyond our wildest imaginings, we soon developed a reputation for integrity, getting the job done and always surpassing expectations. Attributes and traits instilled in me as a member of the ADF, just applied slightly differently.

From Afghanistan it was over to Perth to build the world’s tallest prefabricated hotel, setting records for construction speed through the application of innovative construction techniques. I also transitioned into publishing, converting a paper magazine into an online global publication.

Today I have the amazing opportunity to tap into my past, helping companies grow using the same techniques and skills I learned as a fighter pilot. Possibly the most rewarding transition I’ve made, where I see the value of a career in Defence, applying my lessons learned there in the private sector.

The success didn’t come easily though and there are certainly elements of the story where success was elusive. The successes were always the sum of the same parts.

I’ve learned over time, some would say “the hard way”, that when you transition into anything, from anywhere, it’s harder and takes longer than you’d think. We always see the end result first. Whether it be a transition into a corporate role, a small business owner or directly across into the civilian workforce. What we aren’t so good it is preparing for the bit in between — the three years of sweat and tears expended as you equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to contribute within the field you are transitioning into.

The key lesson here is, it’s not the technical skills you learn in Defence, it’s the way of working, the way of thinking and most importantly the calibre of person you are. Don’t take for granted the system that recruited you, they know what they are doing! You were recruited because you are an outstanding individual with the traits required to be successful.

This is where the recurring themes of successful people start to become obvious. Success doesn’t care if you came from a military background, started on the streets or from a privileged background. I’ve seen success and failure in places you wouldn’t expect to find them.

What are these themes?

1. Focus – You must find something you can commit to mind, body and soul. Don’t transition for money. Spend time researching what it is you want to transition into.
2. Commitment and consistency – Show up every day and jump through all the hoops, just like the ADF, a lot of what you do won’t make sense at the time, fortunately you’ve been trained to just do it!
3. Never give up – When you transition into anything, you start again, right from the bottom. The good thing is though, with the skills you’re naturally equipped with, you have the ability to accelerate your journey to the top.

As a fighter pilot, I was always taught to deliver on three objectives with every mission, no more. To me these three objectives are the top three recurring themes I see in successful people. Being successful isn’t about winning big all the time. It’s about committing to the small wins each day, which ultimately lead you to the life you want to live.