Michelle 'Mace' Curran

She has inspired thousands through her passion for breaking barriers, setting the example of what can be accomplished through hard work. When she isn't speaking, she volunteers. I mean, this woman has an amazing family. She's living her best life. Michelle, thank you so much for being here with us today.

It's a pleasure to be here, Heather.

It's a pleasure to be here, Heather.

It's a pleasure to be here, Heather.

When people hear about you being a fighter jet pilot, I mean, it sounds so crazy looking at you and seeing this very attractive young woman You assume in your mind, and I know it's not the case, but I want you to share with everyone. I assume in my mind, like you grew up in this military family. You were groomed from day one to like fly jets.

When people hear about you being a fighter jet pilot, I mean, it sounds so crazy looking at you and seeing this very attractive young woman You assume in your mind, and I know it's not the case, but I want you to share with everyone. I assume in my mind, like you grew up in this military family. You were groomed from day one to like fly jets.

When people hear about you being a fighter jet pilot, I mean, it sounds so crazy looking at you and seeing this very attractive young woman You assume in your mind, and I know it's not the case, but I want you to share with everyone. I assume in my mind, like you grew up in this military family. You were groomed from day one to like fly jets.

And you've always had this passion for flying and fighting. But tell me, is that what it was like growing up in your life?

And you've always had this passion for flying and fighting. But tell me, is that what it was like growing up in your life?

And you've always had this passion for flying and fighting. But tell me, is that what it was like growing up in your life?

No, definitely not. People, when I was on the Thunderbirds, would always be like, how did you get to this spot? Which is just such an open-ended question. I was like, well, how much time do you have? But I always would say that I kind of just stumbled into it, which is half joking, but sort of true. I grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin. kind of in the middle of nowhere.

No, definitely not. People, when I was on the Thunderbirds, would always be like, how did you get to this spot? Which is just such an open-ended question. I was like, well, how much time do you have? But I always would say that I kind of just stumbled into it, which is half joking, but sort of true. I grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin. kind of in the middle of nowhere.

No, definitely not. People, when I was on the Thunderbirds, would always be like, how did you get to this spot? Which is just such an open-ended question. I was like, well, how much time do you have? But I always would say that I kind of just stumbled into it, which is half joking, but sort of true. I grew up in a small town in northern Wisconsin. kind of in the middle of nowhere.

I grew up in the country. I was a really outdoorsy kid, very adventurous, but super shy, super quiet. I would be the last kid in class that would want to get in front of my peers, that would want to raise my hand. I was just a little bit of a wallflower. And I was also driven though. So kind of a dichotomy there with being pretty quiet and introverted.

I grew up in the country. I was a really outdoorsy kid, very adventurous, but super shy, super quiet. I would be the last kid in class that would want to get in front of my peers, that would want to raise my hand. I was just a little bit of a wallflower. And I was also driven though. So kind of a dichotomy there with being pretty quiet and introverted.

I grew up in the country. I was a really outdoorsy kid, very adventurous, but super shy, super quiet. I would be the last kid in class that would want to get in front of my peers, that would want to raise my hand. I was just a little bit of a wallflower. And I was also driven though. So kind of a dichotomy there with being pretty quiet and introverted.

But behind the scenes, I was working my butt off, which led to me being A straight A student, which eventually opened up a bunch of doors for me, but not a military family, not an aviation family. I never went to a single air show as a child, which is so funny now, but I needed a way to pay for college and Air Force ROTC kind of filtered to the top. after exploring some options.

But behind the scenes, I was working my butt off, which led to me being A straight A student, which eventually opened up a bunch of doors for me, but not a military family, not an aviation family. I never went to a single air show as a child, which is so funny now, but I needed a way to pay for college and Air Force ROTC kind of filtered to the top. after exploring some options.

But behind the scenes, I was working my butt off, which led to me being A straight A student, which eventually opened up a bunch of doors for me, but not a military family, not an aviation family. I never went to a single air show as a child, which is so funny now, but I needed a way to pay for college and Air Force ROTC kind of filtered to the top. after exploring some options.

And that was how I started down that path. But even for the first couple of years in that program, I was a criminal justice major. I wanted to be an FBI agent or work for the CIA. And I still didn't know that I wanted to be a pilot. That kind of came halfway through college when I actually saw my first fighter jet. I'd never seen one.