That zeal for justice carried with him into his Air Force service, where in 1980 he was told nonsense like “Black pilot candidates are often disqualified from fighter pilot training because of their intellectual inabilities and they were afraid of water.” He proved them so wrong that he broke base records in some pilot categories—and dedicated himself, in his own teaching and business endeavors later, to help people. That sense of justice also shaped his later career, where as a federal Contracting Officer he reports blowing the whistle on corruption—at great personal cost. Considerations of the future of commercial aeronautics, some excerpts from his reading, and some inspirational quotes supplement a narrative that is direct and plain-spoken.
Battle recounts the facts without the niceties of novelistic memoir scene craft, favoring the bluntly declarative. Of his becoming an adjunct professor at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and then branding himself “The Aerospace Professor,” he writes: “With a lack of opportunities in the aviation and aerospace industry, I decided to develop my own opportunities.” This book both documents that motivation and stands as an inviting example of it.
Takeaway: Upbeat memoir of reaching for the skies despite adversity.
Comparable Titles: Diana Jean Schemo’s Skies to Conquer, Ivan Thompson’s The Air Force's Black Pilot Training Experience.
Production grades
Cover: B-
Design and typography: B
Illustrations: A
Editing: B+
Marketing copy: A-
gina paul
5.0 out of 5 stars An Eye-Opening and Life-Affirming Book
Reviewed in the United States 🇺🇸 on May 25, 2023
President and CEO of Battle Enterprise, Jeffery Battle, writes an eye-opening and life-affirming book about his struggles and triumphs in The Aerospace Professor.
Despite the poverty and systemic racism Battle experienced in the public school system, he has a thriving and inspiring career in the aviation and aerospace industry. Unfortunately, the systemic racism he experienced did not end when he left school but went on to present professional barriers in several of the very influential positions Battle held in the workforce. However, experiencing hardships and significant health challenges did not stop Battle from outstanding achievements in aviation and aerospace, including becoming an adjunct professor at Embry- Riddle Aeronautical University.
Battle shares his exciting and inspiring life story throughout the book, including his heart-stopping encounter with the police while a US Airman stationed at Cannon Air Force Base. Reading about this encounter will cause the reader to question some of the basic assumptions they may hold about policing in America. It will also inspire the reader to rethink how adversity should be handled.
While sharing deeply personal events, Battle balances the seriousness of his life story with sweet events and remembrances. He also treats the reader to some delightful people he interacted with, including many influential family members, a United States Congresswoman, a prominent Civil Rights Leader, and a Tuskegee Airman General.
Battle has turned his lifetime of achievement into a philanthropic business that gives back to the community. The Aerospace Professor gives back in a big way by using his company. Battle focuses on STEM education for children ages K-12 and programs for disabled veterans, people experiencing homelessness, and those at risk of hunger. In addition, new and exciting projects are in the works, including an exciting animation series.
This engrossing trip through Battle's life will inspire the reader never to give up and always "Look Above."
The Aerospace Professor memoir: Faith led a poor child from a colored school to an American veteran and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) with philanthropic values. And much more...
