The Book
“Fans of military biographies and memoirs will enjoy this inside look at the experiences of a determined woman in the cockpit.”
-Booklist
“An enthusiastic narrator, Johnson’s love of flying comes through clearly. This no-holds-barred account will interest aviation buffs and those invested in making the military more welcoming to women.”
-Publisher’s Weekly
“A realistic look at a difficult, dangerous profession.”
-Kirkus Reviews
Caroline Johnson was an unlikely aviation 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 Officer. She was one of the first women to fly a combat mission over Iraq since 2011, and the first woman to drop bombs on ISIS from an F/A-18.
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 woman 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 and 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 book 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 600 miles an hour?Not only a memoir, JET GIRL also aims to change the conversation and to inspire and attract the next generation of men and women tempted to explore a life of adventure and service.