A legacy in motion -- Douglas Pruitt returns to Vance Air Force Base

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Michaela Prince
  • 71st Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

VANCE AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. — On a cool and cloudy Oklahoma morning, Col. Douglas Pruitt stepped once again onto the Vance Air Force Base flightline -- not as a student pilot this time, but as a keynote speaker addressing the next generation of aviators.

It has been 15 years since he completed Undergraduate Pilot Training here as a distinguished graduate, but the memories still linger.

“I had one kid when I got here and had another one born during T-6s,” Pruitt said. “Luckily, my class was really good about helping with anything that we needed, and I think there were three other babies born while I was here. It kind of became a second hat to help out whoever needed.”

Before Pruitt walked across the graduation stage at Vance in 2010, his Air Force journey had already begun. With a bachelor’s degree in History and a commission through ROTC, he first trained as a navigator at Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in 2004 and started flying in C-130s before transitioning to pilot training, which led him to flying the C-17A and RQ-4B Global Hawk, an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) used for intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance. 

“I wasn’t expecting to be a nav out of college. (I was) expecting to be a pilot,” he said. “And then I became one, but then I didn’t expect to go to UAVs.

“I also didn’t expect to be in command of a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) unit, which is totally off the map for what most people are thinking,” he said.

Pruitt’s time at Vance did not just test his skills; it reshaped his view of what it means to be part of a military community.

“One of the takeaways is how close-knit Enid and the base are. Seeing how the base interacts with the civilian population shows not just how you should act toward them, but how they can help you too,” Pruitt said.

Although he never expected to return, coming back as a guest speaker felt full circle. He was surprised and excited about being able to return to the stage he graduated from all those years ago and see the newest pilot graduates.

The visit is not just ceremonial – it is personal. Years ago, he was part of the 8th Flying Training Squadron, known as “the Ballers.” Now, he is reuniting with them in the air once again.

“I was super excited about that,” Pruitt said. “I’ve been flying UAVs for the last decade, so I haven’t flown for 10 years in the Air Force. Flying with a lieutenant instructor just shows the trust that we put into our people.”

Constant change and development have been the theme of Pruitt’s life. From flying the powerful C-17A at McChord Air Force Base, Washington, to piloting the high-altitude RQ-4B Global Hawk at Beale Air Force Base, California, and later becoming a commander at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Italy, Pruitt’s career reflects a diverse and evolving Air Force.

“That whole process has taught me to deal with change and just roll with the punches, which helps you in all your jobs,” he said. “The constant change in my life has helped me be more resilient.”

The path was not always linear—but that, he says, is exactly the point. To young officers facing uncertain change in their futures, he offers a bit of time-earned wisdom.

“Don’t think you’re going to be on this one track forever,” Pruitt said. “Because the Air Force has taught me that’s probably not the case.”

Even in the less desirable assignments, he said, there’s value.

“Maybe it’s a horrible job that you don’t like,” he said. “But you need to do that job to the best of your ability. It may seem like you’re not doing something important, but in the grand scale of things, that could be something that’s very important to somebody else.”

His graduation address was not just a speech. It was a message passed down from experience -- one aviator to another. He encouraged graduates to take initiative and pursue their goals.

“Make sure to put yourself out there,” he said. “Don’t be afraid about trying to do something that you want to do or that you think is right. It’s probably the only chance in your life that you’re going to be able to do it.”

And if someone else succeeds where you hoped to?

“Don’t worry about what your peers are doing in terms of success,” Pruitt said. “Their success is not necessarily your failure. Support them and maybe learn from them as well.”

As the roar of engines echoes over the plains of Oklahoma, Pruitt’s journey comes full circle. From a Vance graduate to a keynote speaker, from student to seasoned leader, his return marks more than a milestone—it is a legacy in motion.