The quest for happiness is arguably a lifelong mission we all share. Happiness is an individual’s prerogative, and is often partially achieved through personal success, wealth, sports or a number of many other avenues.
Conversely, complete happiness is simply a byproduct of purpose, selfless service, and everything that goes with the idea of “being the best professional one can be” when doing remarkable things for others. National Guard soldiers and airmen do just that, in their own communities, serving their neighbors, their friends, and their families -- that’s purpose.
Ultimately, purpose creates vision, and vision triggers action, then results arrive and ultimately happiness becomes possible, sustainable, and most importantly, something to be shared with the rest of the world. This principle can be particularly true for citizen-soldiers and airmen when juggling the challenges of military commitments and often complicated lives, civilian jobs, and families.
One of these remarkable, yet humble heroes, is South Carolina Army National Guard Chief Warrant Officer Natalie Miller, who has found both purpose and happiness.
Miller’s life revolves around her passion of flying helicopters. In 1998, looking for a way to pay for her college education and “do something fun,” Miller joined the Wisconsin Air National Guard as an aircrew life-support equipment technician aboard KC-135 Stratotankers. Later, she joined the Army as a UH-60 Black Hawk pilot.
Miller’s passion for flying and caring for others finally merged when she became a medevac pilot flying combat missions in Iraq. Subsequently, purpose and happiness brought her to Georgia to pursue a degree as a physician assistant.
“It was a natural step to make me a better medevac pilot, and give me a civilian career filled with purpose” Miller said.
A Life Driven by Service
She has shaped her life around medicine and flying.
“You can be an average pilot and get by with the minimal amount of flown hours required, or you can shape your civilian life in order to fly as much as possible, thus developing your skills as a pilot, and preparing yourself for real-world missions -- always around the corner for Army aviation citizen-soldiers,” Miller said. “When we deploy, for example, we fly continuously and flying becomes muscle memory. So, as a pilot, I feel at my professional top when I am deployed. Back home, I can achieve similar proficiency by sacrificing some of my civilian life in order to fly often, train hard and continue learning and applying myself toward, what I consider, professional excellence.”
In 2011, Miller said goodbye to her beloved Black Hawks and met the mighty CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopter. She first flew Chinooks with the Georgia Army National Guard and later, in 2013, Miller transferred to the South Carolina National Guard’s 2nd General Support Aviation Battalion, 238th Aviation Regiment, where she continues flying the heavy-lift helicopter.
Throughout her career, Miller has flown different airframes, been introduced to new units and fellow soldiers, and been challenged by new missions, but she has continued to keep the same drive, and same quest for excellence, because of her purpose to serve her community and to protect her crew.
“That is, ultimately, happiness, and it is absolutely driven by purpose,” Miller said, “because as a pilot, and as a leader, I have no option but strive for perfection, and fly with confidence, proficiency and dedication to my crew and our mission, whether combat or emergency response.”