September 28, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) What the Pentagon Taught Me About Balance, Relationships, and Integrity The Puzzle PalaceJuly 1993 – The Pentagon “Do the right things for the right reasons and stand firm.” My first Pentagon assignment was unlike anything I had known in the operational Navy. Part of my job … Read more

September 21, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leadership is Earned in the Moments No One Plans For Step Up and Take Charge—When Seconds Matter “Emergency pull forward… CAG Paddles to the platform.” I sprinted 1,000 feet down Abraham Lincoln’s flight deck as the ship heeled hard to starboard. An A-6 Intruder with a … Read more

September 14, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Failure Doesn’t End You. Hiding it Might. Integrity—Failure—Death We were spinning—with both engines out—dropping like a rock 90 miles southwest of San Diego. We blew through 10,000 feet, the mandatory ejection altitude. From the backseat Slammer called, “Ten thousand feet—have you got it?” I didn’t answer. … Read more

September 7, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) You Don’t Have to Say a Word When You Carry This Kind of Credibility Competence Commands Respect—And It Shows Tex had the edge. His A-4 Skyhawk turned tighter, faster, and with less drag than my big, beautiful Tomcat. I was bleeding airspeed, pulling Gs, fighting for … Read more

August 31, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) Leadership Means Standing Up – Even When You Weren’t There Cubi Point, Philippines The ship was docked at NAS Cubi Point, Philippines. We took advantage of the time ashore by flying tactical missions from the Cubi Point airfield. We had just egressed from a simulated strike … Read more

August 24, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) You Don’t Need to Be Fearless – Just Faithful Obsidian sky. No moon. No stars. Just a tiny, floating city a thousand miles from land—and me, a brand-new F-14 pilot, trying to land on it. After seven failed attempts to catch a wire, I was running … Read more

August 18, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) It Wasn’t the End. It Was Just the Beginning. Begin with a Clear Vision — Failure Fuels Success Kingsville, Texas | 1982–1983 When the instructor walked up to me and said, “Manazir, the LSOs called from the ship. You’re a disqual,” I honestly thought he was … Read more

August 10, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) You’re Not Stuck-You’re Early in the Process When Kelly and I rolled into Kingsville, Texas in the summer of 1982, she started crying. We had just gotten married—two days prior. No honeymoon. No Hawaii. Just a quick wedding and a long drive across the desert in … Read more

August 3, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) It’s Not Just About Grit. It’s About Foresight. When I stepped into flight school, I was a blink away from losing everything I’d worked toward. One eye exam away, to be exact. The NAMI doctors gave me what we called the “NAMI whammy”—a 20/25 result in … Read more

July 27, 2025 by Mike Manazir – (4-5 minutes) If You Ever Lost Your Why…This Story Will Help You Find It September 1981. SERE School. Warner Springs, California. Thrown to the dirt. Locked in a box. Slapped, interrogated, broken. It was all part of the training. And it changed everything. Before I took my first … Read more