Easton Allsop’s preparation to become a pilot officially began when he enrolled in BYU’s Air Force ROTC (AFROTC) program. But his journey actually started in Bodney, England—the place where his great-grandfather trained to be a pilot and where Allsop first foresaw his own future.
“Growing up, my great-grandfather was my absolute hero,” Allsop says. An ace fighter pilot during World War II, Allsop’s great-grandfather left a legacy of service and courage for his family. “He had a huge impact on me,” Allsop adds.
The summer before his senior year of high school, Allsop traveled to England where he explored the base his great-grandfather trained at. “It was an experience that I’ll always remember. I saw where my great-grandfather trained to protect our values and our freedoms. At that point, I really started thinking that the air force was in my future,” he says.
After graduating high school, he served a mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Ivory Coast, West Africa. There, Allsop gained a passion for service, further solidifying his aspirations to serve in the air force.
He hadn’t yet told anyone about his aspiration to become a pilot after he returned from his mission. “Everyone knew I highly respected my great-grandfather, but nobody knew I was actually going to try to be a pilot. I told my mom, and that gave her a little bit of a panic attack,” Allsop quips.
Allsop decided to join BYU’s Air Force ROTC when he started classes at Brigham Young University. “It was all super foreign to me,” he says. “The work and discipline I’ve learned here is different than anything I've ever experienced.” But Allsop felt that the program helped him make a smooth transition in spite of his lack of military experience.
Allsop’s experience at BYU as a cadet and a political science major have been enriched by the friendships he’s made within the AFROTC. “Being able to share experiences with people who are going through the same things as me has been a huge help to me,” he says. “We all have similar interests. We love this country, and we’re all willing to put our lives on the line for it,” he says.
He also leans on the example his great-grandfather set. “My great-grandfather inspired me to be a leader,” he says. “We sat on his deck, root beer in hand, and he told me stories about his time in the air force, which had a huge impact on the way I serve others.”
The experiences that Allsop has had during his time in the air force have sharpened his outlook on leadership. He says, “The challenges I face on a daily basis have shaped me to be a better leader.”
Leading other cadets in training exercises has helped Allsop discover his favorite leadership strategies. “I like to get to know the people that I’m leading. People aren’t just pieces on a chess board. They’re unique individuals,” he explains. “I’ve improved a lot on getting to know their opinions and incorporating those opinions into my decision-making.”
After three years full of leadership training, studying, and preparation in BYU’s AFROTC, Allsop was recently selected by the air force to commission as an officer upon graduation and then begin pilot training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Oklahoma.
During pilot training, the air force will assign him to fly a specific aircraft for the duration of his career. Allsop looks forward to hopefully joining the competitive professional culture of fighter pilots that his great-grandfather was once a part of. “Fighter pilots are all on the same team, yet they are constantly challenging their peers to be the best they can. And,” he says, “who wouldn’t want to experience flying faster than the speed of sound?”
As flight school draws closer, Allsop acknowledges those closest to him who have helped him achieve his goals. “Hearing my great-grandfather's stories helped me develop a love for this country,” he says. “My wife, Abby, has been my greatest companion and really helped me manage stress and anxieties of my responsibilities. I’m grateful for her constant help and support and we are excited to work together in this new adventure.”
Allsop also acknowledges the transformative power of the AFROTC to help him become like his grandfather and become a better person. “At first, I thought leaders were born,” Allsop says, “but I eventually realized that leaders are not born but made.”
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Written by Jake Holt
