Description
In Episode 132, John “Rain” Waters sits down with F-16 pilot Trent “Teddy” Meisel for a gripping and emotional conversation. Teddy walks us through his journey from small-town Oklahoma to the cockpit of the Viper, including a traumatic ejection over South Korea that nearly cost him his life.
This episode dives into the moment-by-moment chaos of that day in May 2023, when a systems failure during a combat exercise forced him to make the ultimate call—pulling the ejection handle. Teddy reflects on what went wrong, how his training kicked in, and what it’s like to come back from an ejection both physically and mentally.
Rain and Teddy also discuss the realities of Total Force Integration, life in a Guard unit, and the camaraderie forged through the crucible of flying fighters. Plus, hear how Teddy founded 4th Gen Hunting Co. and how the outdoors became part of his recovery journey.
This is more than a story of survival—it’s a deep dive into resilience, pilot culture, and the unforgiving nature of modern air combat.
F-16 pilot, Air Force Academy, medical waivers, pilot training, Guard and Reserve, aviation career, military life, Viper, challenges, personal journey, pilot training, military life, Korea, F-16, ejection, aviation, personal stories, resilience, challenges, experiences, ejection, military aviation, personal growth, hunting, storytelling, trauma recovery, resilience, mentorship, aviation safety, life lessonsF-16 pilot, ejection, Viper, fighter pilot podcast, John Rain Waters, Trent Meisel, 4th Gen Hunting Co, Juvats, Korea deployment, combat aviation, SEAD, pilot ejection story, TFI, Air Force Academy, UPT, Red Flag Alaska, Guard vs Active Duty, military aviation, cockpit emergency, pilot resilience, fighter jet malfunction, tactical recovery, special operations aviation
Chapters
00:00 – Teddy Meisel: From Oklahoma Roots to the Fighter Pilot Dream
02:53 – Becoming an F-16 Pilot: Academy Ambitions and Air Force Entry
06:05 – Medical Waivers, Hearing Loss, and the Long Road to the Cockpit
09:09 – Guard vs. Active Duty: Navigating Total Force Integration
12:01 – Inside UPT: Pilot Training Struggles, Strategies, and Realities
14:53 – Post-Training Path: Viper Assignment Surprises and Career Choices
21:23 – Rolling the Dice: Assignment Drops and Unexpected Orders
22:15 – Debunking Pilot Myths and Earning Respect in the F-16
24:28 – Living and Flying in Korea: Fighter Pilot Life at Kunsan and Osan
26:36 – Squadron Brotherhood: Social Life and Camaraderie Overseas
28:11 – Brush with Death: A Near-Fatal Icy Drive En Route to Interview
31:01 – The Incident: May 2023 Ejection Over Korea
35:07 – From Takeoff to Trouble: The Start of a Critical Sortie
39:12 – Spatial Disorientation and System Failures in Flight
43:49 – Ejecting to Survive: Split-Second Decisions at 3,000 Feet
47:37 – Impact and Survival: Crashing into a Rice Paddy in South Korea
50:03 – Aftermath of Ejection: Recovery, Rescue, and Reflection
57:46 – From Trauma to Purpose: Healing Through Hunting and Telling the Story