Page 41 - Appendix A

1987 Black Male SUPT Student

What would you say was the percentage of blacks was in your training class?
8/63 = 12.99%, but I was the only one to graduate in the class. Ricky Rodgers graduated one
class behind.
Describe how the number of minorities in your pilot training environment compared to your
high school, college and home environment (growing up).
Highschool – 80% black. College – AFA – 11%. Home – 50%

If there was a significant difference describe what impact it had (if any) on your success in
training and why?
Bad impact because there was systematic racism.

In your opinion, does make a difference, regarding your success, how many other black pilots
are going through training at the same time as you? Why or why not?
HUGE difference. I felt alone.

In your opinion, does it make a difference what the racial demographic of your training cadre
or leadership team is? Why or why not? Please share any specific examples from your
experience?
There were only two black instructors.

In your opinion, or based on your experience, is there a difference for a black person going
through pilot training compared to a white person? If so, do you feel that the difference
positively or negatively impacts the success of black student pilots?
Huge difference. It negatively impacts a black student.

Describe/detail the flight training you had (if any) before Air Force flight training (ACE camps,
Young Eagles incentive flights, ground school, etc. and describe how it may have impacted
your success in Air Force flight training.
I had my private pilot’s license at 17 years old. It helped me dramatically!

Sharing your experiences/thoughts. Please use this section to share any experiences or
thoughts on this topic from your experiences, the experiences of others, etc. that you feel are
relevant to the of the experience of black student pilots in Air Force pilot training.
Warren Dennis brought a white girlfriend to the base in Del Rio, and the next week he started
to get bad grades. There was a huge “Born Again Christian” cadre of flight instructors…once I
said I was not ready to be one my grades went down and they tried to wash me out for ground
tests.