One Contribution in a Legacy of Sacrifice and Duty: Why Mitch Alley Served
Kara SchofieldFeatured Photo: Capt. Mitch Alley in August 2006 standing on a dirt runway in Tarin-Kowt, Afghanistan, in front of one of the C-17 planes he flew as an Air Force pilot. All photos for this article are courtesy of Mitch Alley.
Mitch Alley was eleven years old when he first saw Top Gun, adding jet fuel to his obsession with airplanes, pilots, and the military. His father’s career in the Air Force, a grandfather who served in the Navy in World War II, and another who served in the Air Force during the Korean War were a legacy he already knew. It is a legacy to which this current Southwest Airlines pilot, husband, and father of four added his own contribution, serving America as an Air Force pilot from 2001-2020.
Alley, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and resident of Prosper since 2015, says that although he did not think too deeply about his future during high school, “My life’s goals were brought into view during my church mission in Venezuela. After returning home [to Spokane, Washington] and seeing my older brothers now in their careers as Air Force pilots, the fire inside me was rekindled, and I knew I wanted that career path.”
University and Air Force ROTC experiences were a springboard for Alley finishing his Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training just prior to the September 11 attacks in 2001. After that, Alley recalls, “The deployments were nonstop.” He was deployed to Germany, Turkey, Qatar, and Afghanistan, flying sorties all over the world but mainly in Afghanistan and Iraq. His plane for the duration of his career was the C-17, and as part of the Special Operations program at Charleston AFB, he flew “exciting airdrop missions and landings on dirt runways with the Navy Seals and Army Special Forces.”
Alley served at a desk for one assignment in Afghanistan, which he admits was “not very fun.” It also was not easy, however, to endure a few frightening attacks at the base. Alley says that a huge blessing during that assignment was the time he was privileged to spend with his younger brother who was deployed as a dentist to the same location.
Alley counts his membership in the Church of Jesus Christ as one of his greatest blessings before, during, and after his military service. He says at times, “My beliefs were challenged. My morals were challenged. Many times, I felt a little alone.” Despite this, he knew many good people of all faiths who supported him, and he treasured his opportunities to partake of the sacrament (the Eucharist or Holy Communion) on the Sabbath, even if it were only with four or five other servicemen and women. His faith also sustained him when he thought about his loved ones during their separations, knowing that their church membership was a support network for a family missing their husband and father.
Alley flew presidential support missions as well as generals and dignitaries to various locations. But he best remembers the privilege of flying home many flag-draped coffins of fallen servicemen and women. “Those were always somber and reverent occasions,” says Alley. Another cherished memory is the time he flew in an air show in formation with a World War II airplane in front of WWII veterans. “Many tears were shed by them and us.”
Once when Alley was at an airshow practice, “Our gracious host wanted to honor us with a special toast and lined us all up, each behind a shot glass of whiskey on the table.” Because Alley follows the health code, including abstaining from alcohol, that members of the Church of Jesus Christ call the Word of Wisdom, “I started to panic. I didn’t want to make a scene or embarrass the host.”
But one of his squadron mates made eye contact with a wink and a nod. As Alley raised up his glass with everyone else, he got a whiff of root beer. “My heart was so touched,” says Alley, “that my squadron brothers respected me and were looking out for me.” He had to compose himself after that moment.
An important life lesson for Alley is that he can put his hope and faith completely in Jesus Christ. “I’ve gotten better at understanding in my life that the Lord is in charge. It is a huge relief when you realize that He is the judge and that’s not your job, and you can save your energy and unburden your mind in that department. Our job is to love, serve, and influence for good.”
Alley attained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel before retiring from the Air Force in March 2020, serving his last six years in the Air Force Reserve and New York Air National Guard. “I loved being part of the military family and feeling like we were doing something good for our country,” he says. “We have been blessed by brave souls throughout the history of the United States that have defended freedom, democracy, and our way of life with their very lives.”
To honor all veterans, Alley says, “The best thing citizens can do is teach young people about the true history of our great country and military. They need to watch the movies and documentaries, read the books and visit the museums that remind us how blessed we are by the heroes that have sacrificed…. Military members swear an oath to protect and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic. All of us need to be reminded of that.”
This story has also been published by Prosper Press.
Kara Schofield lives with her husband, nearly grown youngest, and the family doodle in the Prosper Texas Stake of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She can often be found at one keyboard or another: writing, documenting personal and family history, accompanying school choirs, and learning how to play jazz music. Her greatest joys are her four children and their spouses, a sizable extended family, pies, mountains, and Jesus Christ.
