Pilot Commentary: Assisting Our Brother and Sister Pilots

By Capt. Jerry McDermott (United), ALPA Air Safety Organization Pilot Assistance Chairman
From left, Capt. Tom Letson (Delta), Capt. Murray Munro (Jazz Aviation), F/O Mark Segaloff (United), Capt. Jerry McDermott (United), F/O Corey Slone (United), Capt. Louise Cullinan (Mesa), and F/O John Taylor (United) at ALPA’s Pilot Assistance awards banquet.

The highlight of my professional calendar is ALPA’s Pilot Assistance Forum. The first meeting of its kind was organized in 2007 by Capt. Jeff Kilmer (FedEx Express), then ALPA’s Pilot Assistance chair, and Capt. Gwen Schallow (United), then vice chair. Kilmer had said there would only be such a gathering “when pigs flew.”

But we all know that it didn’t take flying pigs to see the importance of the groups that make up ALPA’s Air Safety Organization Pilot Assistance and the invaluable resources available to our fellow ALPA brothers and sisters. The forum continues to be a highlight for the pilot volunteers who give their all every day to ensure that our members’ health and well-being remain a priority of the Association, and we’ve seen the mission of Pilot Assistance become a part of ALPA’s strategic plan. The pilots who make up ALPA’s Aeromedical, Critical Incident Response Program, Human Intervention Motivation Study, Professional Standards, and Canadian Pilot Assistance have one overarching goal—to help fellow union members manage life’s challenges that they may encounter in their professional careers.

ALPA’s five Pilot Assistance disciplines provide confidential guidance and help when most needed—whether it’s a pilot struggling with substance issues, a newly minted captain in need of fine-tuning his or her interpersonal skills, or a crewmember dealing with the aftermath of a traumatic incident. Each interaction is unique and critical to the person who has reached out to us for our help. The work that Pilot Assistance volunteers do saves careers, preserves families, and—most importantly—saves lives.

The forum, which is held biennially, gives attendees the opportunity to reconnect with pilot volunteers, share information, and collaborate on enhancing the Association’s already top-notch Pilot Assistance programs (see page 20 for more about the forum). It’s also the event at which we recognize our own during the awards banquet held on the final night of the forum. This year, we had the privilege of honoring some of the Association’s dedicated pilot volunteers—Capt. John Rosenberg (Delta), F/O Kandy Bernskoetter (FedEx Express), and Capt. Eric Tellmann (Spirit)—who have gone above and beyond to help their fellow pilots during their time of need (see page 23). Their personal sacrifice and commitment to helping others is truly awe-inspiring.

This year, as I’ve done for the past five Pilot Assistance Forums, I wore the tie that I received from Kilmer embossed with flying pigs as a tribute to the hard work and effort of all those who paved the way for this group of pilot volunteers, supported by ALPA’s dedicated professional staff, to make these necessary resources available to ALPA members. It’s been an honor and a privilege to work with them and serve as the Association’s Air Safety Organization Pilot Assistance chair. Shortly before the final gavel of this year’s Pilot Assistance Forum, and in a decision two years in the making, I announced my retirement—effective at the end of this year—from my role as ALPA’s Pilot Assistance chair after nearly a decade of service.

With the support and inspiration I’ve received from my Pilot Assistance colleagues and union brothers and sisters, I’d like to think that I’ve learned so much more about myself and others—enough to fill many lifetimes—than I otherwise would have. But I’ve also reached that stage in life where I’d like to focus more on doing additional things that interest me, in particular, enjoying my ever-growing family.

I would like to thank all of you for this tremendous experience and the opportunity to serve my fellow peers. And to the future wearer of the famed flying pig tie, you’re inheriting a world-class team of volunteers and experts.

This article was originally published in the June 2017 issue of Air Line Pilot.

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