MURFREESBORO — A
standing-room-only crowd of about 300 people, many of them under 18, heard U.S.
Marine Corps Maj. Brandon Cordill express why he never let obstacles curtail
his career dream.
Cordill, a Hemet, California, native, stood before them
Friday, June 13, in the MTSU Business and Aerospace Building’s State Farm
Lecture Hall as a pilot with the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flight demonstration
team. The Blue Angels will fly in the annual Great Tennessee Air Show June
14-15 in Smyrna, Tennessee, with MTSU serving as one of the sponsors.
However, Cordill had to overcome making only “decent” grades
in high school and an 850 on his SAT (1600 was the top score in 1998). A hockey
player, he realized he was too small and lacked the talent to reach the NHL. He
was “crushed” by not passing a U.S. Air Force test and learned through a Navy
eye exam he lacked depth perception.
Cordill discovered Saint Louis University, whose aerospace
engineering program did not require an SAT. While sitting in the commercial
pilot ground school class on Sept. 11, 2001, he and the other students were
mesmerized by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center’s twin towers in
New York City.
“Watching that, I became committed. I wanted to serve my
country,” Cordell said, drawing a large round of applause from the audience.
Cordill’s 9/11 classroom faculty member that day was Wendy
Beckman, now a professor in MTSU’s nationally recognized aerospace program and
director of the Aviation Summer Camps and a partnership with The Academies of
Nashville at McGavock High School.
“He remembered me and that was pretty amazing,” Beckman said
of their unexpected reunion Friday morning. “He’s done great. I’m very proud of
him.”
At least two audience members (and probably more) want to
follow in Cordill’s footsteps.
MTSU junior aerospace professional pilot Nick Morrison of
Gainesville, Georgia, wants to be a Marine pilot. Capt. Nathan Skopak of the
Marine recruiting command in Nashville said Morrison will be a future Marine
when he enters as a second lieutenant at the completion of the Marine officer
program in Murfreesboro.
Morrison said the Blue Angels visit was “pretty cool. I’m
glad they came out. I’m looking forward to seeing the show Saturday.”
Murfreesboro’s Daniel Fallon, 14, who will be a Blackman
High School freshman this fall, wore a Blue Angels T-shirt he bought when he
and his family vacationed in Florida and saw them practice. Fallon, who wants
to be a pilot, is attending this week’s Introduction to Aviation Camp.
“I thought it was amazing,” Fallon said of the appearance.
“I’m happy for him serving.”
First-year MT Sampler Camp participants also attended,
including Jannah Ragab, 10, a sixth-grade student at Nashville International
Academy, who had her photo taken with Cordill.
“I’m sure it will encourage people to one day be in the Air
Force,” she said, adding that something she learned from the presentation is
“how planes fly close together.”
Cordill said they fly 12 to 18 inches apart at times.
“It’s a matter of trust,” he said. “There’s no instruments
or autopilot. Nobody’s going to move the (command) stick. They will hold their
position until the end.”
U.S. Navy aviation survival equipment man first class Curtis
Matthews also spoke to attendees.
University President Sidney A. McPhee attended, joined by
Col. Bill Lane of Gray, Tennessee, Tennessee Wing Commander with the Civil Air
Patrol. Cordill presented McPhee with a glossy print of a Blue Angels photo.
In addition to aerospace students and faculty, the audience
included other MTSU faculty and staff, guests and about 20 members of the Civil
Air Patrol Smyrna Composite Squadron, led by squadron commander Jeff Wreyford.
Cordill presented the Smyrna group with a CAP Squadron of Distinction 2014
certificate and banner.
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