Jet Girl

My Life in War, Peace, and the Cockpit of the Navy's Most Lethal Aircraft, the F/A-18 Super Hornet

By: Caroline Johnson

Narrated by: Hof Williams, Caroline Johnson

"Fans of military biographies and memoirs will enjoy this inside look at the experiences of a determined woman in the cockpit." (Booklist)

A fresh, unique insider’s view of what it’s like to be a woman aviator in today’s US Navy - from pedicures to parachutes.

Caroline Johnson was an unlikely aviator candidate. A tall blonde debutante from Colorado, she could have just as easily gone into fashion or filmmaking, and yet she went on to become an F/A-18 Super Hornet Weapons System Operator. She was one of the first women to fly a combat mission over Iraq since 2011, and she was the first woman to drop bombs on ISIS.

Jet Girl tells the remarkable story of the women fighting at the forefront in a military system that allows them to reach the highest peaks and yet is in many respects still a fraternity. Johnson offers an insider’s view on the fascinating, thrilling, dangerous, and, at times, glamorous world of being a naval aviator.

This is a coming-of age story about a young college-aged girl who draws strength from a tight-knit group of friends, called the Jet Girls, and struggles with all the ordinary problems of life: love, work, catty housewives, father figures, make-up, wardrobe, not to mention being put into harm’s way daily with terrorist groups such as ISIS and world powers such as Russia and Iran.

Some of the most memorable parts of the audiobook are about real life in training, in the air and in combat - how do you deal with having to pee in a cockpit the size of a bumper car going 900 miles an hour?

Not just a memoir, this audiobook also aims to change the conversation and to inspire and attract the next generation of men and women who are tempted to explore a life of adventure and service.

©2019 Caroline Johnson (P)2019 Macmillan Audio

Great insights

As a veteran who had a great military experience, married to a female veteran who the US Army failed, this book tells one story of how the US military is sidelining the very people who could take us to the next level.

2026 Book 2

A true American Hero. This was a great book about what she went through to become and be a Jet Girl. She shares some stressful and very amusing situations. She also tells about the only time she had to pee while in the jet, which had me rolling. Great read/listen

Inspiring and hopeful

I was floored and inspired by Caroline’s experience.

Her love for the Navy and for flying jets is contagious, and I never thought I would say that about the military. I imagined myself in her position and knew that I couldn’t have competed at the level she was at with the kind of stress and rigor it requires. I am the CEO of a marketing agency that I built from nothing and I thrive on competition. My congratulations to everyone who works that hard with such focus and drive.

If you are reading the reviews on this audio book trying to decide whether or not to purchase, consider the one star reviews a testament to the the change Caroline is starting to shake up. Her reviews are rarely in the middle, this kind of polarization is an indicator of a worthy read.

I am proud to be an American knowing institutions like the Navy are capable of evaluating their system critically because of strong leadership from people like Caroline and the many mentors she wrote about in this book.

It takes tremendous courage to challenge a traditional system ensuring it is better for everyone who comes after.

I wish Caroline the absolute best as she continues to raise standards. Well done. There is always hope in moving forward.

Sadly informative of a reality previously unknown

I thought this would-be motivational for my daughter, nope. Dads, teach your sons tobe respectful!

Amazing story!

This is a fantastic look into the navy fighter community and being a woman in a male dominated field. Caroline tells her story in such rich detail it might make you want to join the navy and fly jets - or not! Her down to earth nature shines through the pages as she documents her time in one of the toughest fields of the military. I respect her enormously and she has inspired me, a young woman, to keep working hard to get my pilot’s license.