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Kim “KC” Campbell is a retired Colonel who served in the Air Force for over 24 years as a fighter pilot and senior military leader. She has flown 1,800 hours in the A-10 Warthog, including more than 100 combat missions protecting troops on the ground in both Iraq and Afghanistan. In 2003, Kim was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for Heroism after successfully recovering her battle-damaged airplane after an intense close air support mission.

As a senior military leader, Kim has led hundreds of Airmen both at home and abroad in deployed locations and enabled them to succeed in their missions. She has experience leading complex organizations and driving cultural change. Kim knows what it takes to be a successful leader, to inspire and empower high performance teams to achieve success. Kim is passionate about leadership and feels strongly that leaders earn trust by leading with courage and connecting with their team.

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Quick Episode Summary:

Kim "KC" Campbell shares lessons on courage, mistakes, leadership, and resilience.

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🌟 Torch Takeaways:

• Courage is about action, not the absence of fear
• Learning from mistakes—and moving forward—is essential
• Positive self-talk can help conquer nerves and self-doubt
• Trust, authenticity, and connection are at the heart of leadership
• Gratitude for the team makes the mission possible

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Chapters:

00:00 Podcast Guest Pursuit Journey

04:15 Pilot's Challenges and Lessons

09:03 Reflecting on the Challenger Experience

10:51 Enjoy the Journey

12:50 Chief Robinson's Inspiring Leadership Mentorship

16:59 Airplane Incident and Aftermath

20:38 Courage in Fearful Moments

24:01 Redefining Leadership Expectations

28:46 "Write Your Own Success Story"

32:30 "Flying with Reassuring Leader Spanky"

33:01 Gas Mask Drill Recollection

39:27 "Book's Message"

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