A Little About This Brave Little Soul

I am always open to suggestions for posts you'd all like to see, and I love all of your ideas that I've heard so far. One request I've received more than a few times is that you'd all like to see a post about me. I generally hate talking about myself unless it's to extol the virtues of applying science to everything in life or how awesome Judaism is, but even then it's generally only if asked.

So since I've been asked, here we go.

Me and my mom the day I enlisted. She was soooooo mad

For those of you who don't know me in person, I am Angela. Been married slightly less than a year to a really cool dude who proves that opposites do attract. I was born and raised in Buffalo, New York, and after living in England and Daytona Beach, Florida, I had the audacity to enlist in the Navy when I was 28. Ten weeks at Great Lakes, Illinois, encompassing Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years, I then transferred to Pensacola, Florida, where I learned how to be an Aircraft Structural Mechanic. I then transferred to NAS Oceana where I learned how to be an Aircraft Structural Mechanic on F/A-18's specifically, and then I reported to my squadron onboard CVN-77 while she was deployed to the Persian Gulf. So, I got to fly on a C-2 Greyhound and essentially crash-land onto an aircraft carrier which was one of the coolest experiences of my life. While I was deployed, I also had the audacity to route a request chit to fly with HSC-9 for one of their plane guard missions. This chit was approved, because I'm awesome, and so I got to fly onboard an SH-60 Seahawk helicopter, fulfilling one of my lifelong wishes to fly on a helo. The fact that I got to do it over the Persian Gulf just adds to the awesomeness. I did not vomit, I feel like I should add that.

Boot camp. I'm in this picture somewhere.

I am a massive aircraft nerd. I'm nearly finished earning my BS in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University (notable alumni nbd). My focus is on aircraft crash investigation, so after I earn my BS, I intend to earn my masters in Aeronautics with a specialty in Aviation Safety Systems. God willing, after that, I would like to earn my doctorate so that I can literally be an expert on the subject of plane crashes.

The author.

So yes I am maintaining this blog and generating the content - the knitting, the organizing, the cleaning, the trying - while earning a highly specialized degree. This semester I am enrolled in Strategic Management, which requires me to do a full, specialized audit on Tesla Motors (my choice), Human Factors in Aviation Safety (investing the human element to plane crashes), and Aircraft Inspection and Scheduled Maintenance Programs (basically apply the knowledge I learned as an F/A-18 mechanic, which is awesome). Every semester for the past year, I've been required to study case files of plane crashes, which is always interesting, and always incredibly sad. Always, always sad. My interest in aircraft crash investigation comes from the fact that I've lost dear friends in plane crashes, and by investigating these events in the future, I hope I can prevent them from occurring again and again. I would like to spare everyone else the heartbreak and injustice that comes from suffering this kind of loss. You're always kind of at the mercy of your pilots and God whenever you fly, and I love learning the intricacies of these systems.

At the moment, I am studying the crash of Alaska Department of Public Safety Eurocopter back in 2013. My day today will consist of finishing reading the full NTSB narrative of the crash, reviewing the public docket into the crash, and viewing photos of the crew, crash scene, and wreckage. Are you amazed that I'm not an alcoholic?

Me and The Perpetual Shover (also not an alcoholic)

So, that's the long and short of it, I think. If there's anything in particular you'd like to ask, I'm always available through email. More content to come later today when I need a break from the heartbreaking research!