Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers ’11 - When Dreams Take Flight
From THE LONG BLUE LEADERSHIP PODCAST by U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation
March 17, 2026 · 37 min · Episode 49
About this episode
Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers shares her experiences in combat and space, discussing mentorship and teamwork.
From combat missions in the F-22 Raptor to more than five months aboard the International Space Station, Lt. Col. Nichole “Vapor” Ayers ’11 has seen it all. In this episode of Long Blue Leadership, Col. Ayers reflects on mentorship, teamwork and building the next generation of warriors and astronauts.
People in this episode
Guest: Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers
Topics covered
- mentorship
- teamwork
- leadership
- military
- space exploration
Keywords
- Lt. Col. Nichole Ayers
- F-22 Raptor
- International Space Station
- mentorship
- teamwork
- leadership
- warriors
- astronauts
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation
Products: F-22 Raptor
Places: International Space Station
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