--- title: "‘I’m driven by competition’ — What it takes to become the Air Force’s top fighter pilot" description: "Air Force Maj. Brady “Fuel” Augustin has earned the Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault Award, which is widely understood to recognize the top fighter pilot in the service." date: "2020-08-26" modified: "2020-08-26" authors: - name: "David Roza" job_title: "YouTube Writer/Editor" link: "https://taskandpurpose.com/authors/david-roza/" url: "https://taskandpurpose.com/news/air-force-fighter-pilot-award/" categories: - "Air Force" - "Aircraft" - "Fighter Aircraft" - "Military Branches" - "News" - "Tech & Tactics" --- # ‘I’m driven by competition’ — What it takes to become the Air Force’s top fighter pilot ![]() Most Air Force fighter squadrons take months to train for a deployment. But when Maj. Brady “Fuel” Augustin was ordered on a no-notice deployment in response to [Iran's ballistic missile attack on U.S. forces in Iraq earlier this year](), he had to spin all the way up ASAP. It was a tall order, but Augustin, who is chief of weapons and tactics for the 31st Operations Support Squadron at Aviano Air Base in Italy, passed the test with flying colors. “The no-notice deployment consisted of aircraft and personnel departing Aviano Air Base within 9 days, and our F-16 fighters completing the first combat sortie within 14 days,” Julie Scott, a spokesperson for Aviano Air Base, told Task & Purpose. “Augustin's leadership of personnel to plan and execute the full spectrum of training at home was implemented and successfully executed during combat missions." It was this rapid deployment, a massive air and missile defense exercise in Europe this spring, and ten years of hard work in the Air Force that helped Augustin earn the Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault Award, which is widely understood to recognize the top fighter pilot in the service. “I feel that it’s an award that puts credit on the last year,” said Augustin in an Aug. 18 [press release](). “It was a great year for the wing, the squadron and myself, but to me it’s more of a decade process. When I look at it, that’s what I’ll see.” Like many fighter pilots, Augustin is driven by a competitive edge. The airman grew up playing football and wrestling in Minnesota and he sees aerial combat as another arena in which to test his mettle. “I'm driven by competition,” said Augustin, who also flies F-16s for the distinguished 555th Fighter Squadron. “In the world of aerial training and combat, generally there is a winner and a loser. Coming into a flight or a mission and putting all your learning and preparation on the table to see if you can beat your adversary is a great motivator.” ![]() *U.S. Air Force Capt. Brady Augustin, a fighter pilot with the 157th Fighter Squadron at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., confirms the F-16 Fighting Falcon landing code after landing at Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, Nov. 7, 2014.* That be-the-best attitude is anchored by a tradition of service in Augustin's family. The major said he always looked up to his father and grandfather who served in the Army and Navy, respectively. And while Augustin opted for the Air Force Academy, he soon realized the path he chose was not an easy one. “It was a challenging 4 years,” he said of his time at the academy. “I reevaluated my decision more than a few times, thinking it may not be for me." "Thankfully I had great, supportive people around me, and kept in mind one of my favorite quotes from [Jimmy Dugan](): ‘It’s supposed to be hard. If it wasn’t hard, everyone would do it. The hard is what makes it great.’” ![]() *U.S. Air Force Capt. Brady Augustin, a fighter pilot with the 157th Fighter Squadron at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, S.C., steps to an F-16 Fighting Falcon to fly overseas for a deployment, Feb. 6, 2014.* The Academy was the first of many challenges Augustin has faced in the Air Force, culminating with planning missions for the annual multinational [Astral Knight]() exercise, U.S. European Command’s largest integrated air and missile defense exercise, which the major helped develop and lead. Augustin’s efforts “fused fifth generation aircraft with Patriot, AEGIS and fourth generation fighter aircraft to validate the defense of Europe,” Scott, the Aviano Air Base spokesperson, told Task & Purpose Working with foreign aviators is one thing Augustin has in common with the award’s namesake, who [trained Chinese fighter pilots]() to fight the Japanese in World War II. As leader of the [Flying Tigers](), Lt. Gen. Chennault commanded a group of American volunteers who painted shark mouths on their P-40 Warhawk fighters, which they used to attack Japanese aircraft and protect supplies running to friendly forces along the notoriously difficult Burma Road. As an Aviano airman Augustin’s surroundings are a bit more pleasant. “It has some of the greatest views, phenomenal weather and a fantastic mission set where we’re close to almost every fight going on, on planet Earth,” he said in the press release. “We get a mixture of real world missions, we live in a beautiful place, and we can go on vacation to umpteen countries in our time here. It should be everybody’s favorite assignment." ## Author David Roza writes scripts about military news for the Task & Purpose YouTube channel, and he also writes articles about military pay, benefits, health care, child care, culture, and other personnel topics on a freelance basis. Roza previously covered the Air Force and Space Force for Task & Purpose from 2019 to 2023 and for Air & Space Forces Magazine from 2023 to 2025. In the course of that reporting, he has set off a ‘Hollywood explosion’ with Air Force bomb techs, turned the (unarmed) keys of a nuclear missile bunker, hovered over the Nevada desert on an Air Force rescue helicopter, and got the best sleep of his life on the floor of a C-17 over the central Pacific. Share tips and story ideas with David at [david.roza@teamrecurrent.io]()