How do you stay composed when your aircraft is struck by a surface-to-air missile over enemy territory, your hydraulics fail, and you're staring down at the city of Baghdad? For Colonel (Ret'd) Kim Campbell, the answer wasn't luck – it was 24 years of rigorous training, a "lead with courage" mindset, and the redundant, rugged engineering of the A-10 Warthog.

In this gripping episode, Tash Taylor sits down with one of the United States Air Force's most courageous pilots to recount the harrowing mission on 7 April 2003 that earned her the Distinguished Flying Cross. Kim shares the split-second decision making required to fly a manual "cranks and pulleys" system for an hour-long flight back to safety, proving that while the jet doesn't know your gender, it certainly knows your competence.

Beyond the cockpit, Kim discusses the transition from fighter pilot to high-level leader at the Pentagon and the Air Force Academy. She opens up about the "juggling act" of military motherhood and the importance of authentic connection – including a heartwarming story of her three-year-old crashing a formal military ceremony.

The Progress Report. New voices. Real stories. Big shifts.

Enjoy the podcast, The Progress Report team

THE PROGRESS REPORT: Direct hit over Baghdad – the pilot who outflew a surface-to-air missile