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KW: What was your career path after Wabash?

RB: After graduating in ’72 with a degree in Political Science and no acceptance letters from law schools, I came back home to Amherst, Massachusetts. My dad, a college professor, had some surplus money left over earmarked for my education and he basically told me, "Do whatever you want with it." I took the money and went to the local airport to apply for flying lessons. After a few times behind the controls I decided that flying was something I really liked and wanted to do for a career. Unfortunately my timing wasn’t very good: the 1972 gas crunch shot airline qualification levels way up and there was nowhere for someone just starting out to go. Well…, I take that back. There’s always the military. I applied to the Air Force though the process went disastrously. They mistook my height and weight on my physical as 63 inches, 230 pounds. In reality, I was 6’3, 230 pounds. (they thought I must have looked like a beach ball!) This administrative error took up a year of my life. Next, I applied and was promptly accepted into the Navy. I spent two years in Pensacola and in the meantime earned my commercial pilot’s license and flight instructor license. My Navy years were primarily spent flying out of Bali, Indonesia, on "oceanographic" research missions. Officially, we were looking for oil; unofficially, we were interested in ocean magnetism and submarine detection. Although this was a career killer in the navy, it was definitely a dream job. We flew every other day for 10-14 hour missions and when we weren’t flying we were living it up in Bali. By 1984, I was out of active duty and in the reserves, not really interested in flying military aircraft for a living anymore. I took a job offer with US Airways that year and have been with the airline through thick and thin over the last 22 years. We’ve had everything from our pensions getting slashed to management and labor disputes. I am currently a Captain based at National Airport in Washington D.C. and fly Boeing 737’s all over the eastern United States. Although I am slated to retire in 3 years at age 60, I’d like to stay on until at least age 65 to recoup some of my lost pension. The FAA, however, may ultimately decide otherwise and force me to retire with a lot less money than I had anticipated.

KW: Do you have any advice for students regarding their future career plans?

RB: Go for it. Do what you’re passionate about: if you love science, be a scientist. If you love flying planes, be a pilot. Try to find your personal niche in whatever it is you chose to do. With a Wabash education I achieved more than I ever thought I could, and my job is very far from being considered ‘intellectual.’ It is an extremely technical field, a vocation if you will. However, it’s something that I am very much stimulated by, and this is something that I would encourage students to pursue. If you find math extremely boring, maybe a career in finance isn’t your best bet. Try and expand your field of view when choosing what you want to do for a career. It’s nice to have options.