Deployed Flight and Sometimes Eternity

by Ronnie Smith

This ebook is a collection of poems describing experiences of military missions spanning 25 years of flying in the US Air Force; flown to Africa, Antarctica, war torn Bosnia, and other places around the world. It casts spiritual light onto the graphics of military flying. The poems underscore the fact that there is a bright seam to life in not only what we do, which can appear as drudgery, but as a result of the intention one holds in doing the work.

The poet takes a 50,000 foot view of the world, and translates the everyday flights of US Airmen and places them in the all too human landscape. He juxtaposes their roles with the plight of every human being, trying to make the world a better place by succeeding at their mission. Missions are sometimes dangerous and are planned to the finest detail to cover all contingencies. But at the same time, all are filled with potential to escalate into something we never thought about psychologically. It is this translation of the 'surprise of reality' that the poet describes and connects through the eyes of the operator, the flier, out in the field, hacking the mission for God and country.

Genres: Drama, Book Club, Epic, Fiction

38 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 9, 2015

About the author

Ronnie Smith grew up in Chicago, Illinois and Baltimore, Maryland. He earned a bachelor’s degree at Loyola University Maryland, and later studied engineering at the University of Maryland. Colonel Smith, retired from the Air Force after 30 years of service, where he commanded or flew over 1,000 flights in Antarctica as well as serving in Air Force/U.N. missions on all the other continents. Challenged by extreme winds and temperatures that could drop to minus 75 degrees Fahrenheit during Antarctic summer, physical and mental endurance were paramount to combat the rigors of prolonged operational stress. He discovered in that world contemplation and divine majesty. His poetry and paintings rest upon the foundation of the underlying wonder of God in humanity and creation. He hopes to develop a spiritual retreat center to allow participants to reconnect to their own God-centered inner world, experienced in a sanctuary of the divine natural world.