Editor’s note: Justin Lee is an active duty U.S. Air Force F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pilot. Lee has earned four Air Medals over the span of more than 400 hours of combat flight time throughout his eight+ years at the stick of the F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-35, and now he’s bringing his unique insight to the audio world with his incredible new podcast, “The Professionals Playbook.”
The podcast sees Lee interviewing experts in their respective fields, delving into the very building blocks of success and relating them to his experiences as a military aviator. This first episode, in which he interviews the legendary Lt Col. Matt ‘Freq’ Casey, is a must listen for anyone looking to better understand what goes through a pilot’s mind at the moment he realizes the missiles rising up from the ground nearby are meant for him.
We here at Fighter Sweep are ecstatic to add Lee’s insight, professionalism, and expertise to our family of contributors and you’ll be able to find each new episode of The Professionals Playbook right here on FighterSweep.com each week.
So without further ado, here’s Justin Lee and The Professionals Playbook:
Lt Col. Matt ‘Freq’ Casey is a legend in the Fighter Pilot community. He’s shot the most high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM) in combat, he’s a graduate of the prestigious Air Force Weapons School, and recently retired after a 23 year career in the Air Force.
He’s flown combat missions in Operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch, and Allied Force while shooting 11 HARM missiles at enemy surface-to-air missile (SAM) sites.
Freq is best described as a warrior monk. Aside from his military accomplishments, it’s his mindset that sets him apart. He likens flying to art and through creativity and discipline he is able to bring out the best pilot possible.
In this wide ranging conversation, he goes into what it’s like to be shot at, the time he put an F-16 out of control, and what makes a great pilot. He also discusses his mediation routine, why he gave up drinking, and what it means to be a man.
Lt Col Matt ‘Freq’ Casey retired in July 2018 having been known as the best damn fighter pilot to ever touch an F-16. He proudly accepts any challenges to this claim.
Listen to the episode by hitting the play button below, or be visiting The Professionals Playbook on iTunes.