Published 17th January 2025
Lieutenant Colonel and Republic Airways® First Officer Eric Vetro started flying at 16, but his path to commercial aviation was hardly a straight shot. Here’s how Eric went from a hobbyist to a serviceman to a Republic Airways Pilot.
When Cassie decided to become a Republic Airways Pilot, she had already been working as a Republic Airways Flight Attendant for years. Today, Cassie is a Chicago-based First Officer. Her path from the cabin to the flight deck shows what’s possible when a company and its people stand behind you.
When DCA-based Captain Vincent Schmitt stepped onto Flight 4523 from Washington Reagan National Airport (DCA) to Madison, Wisconsin (MSN), it was more than another day at work. It was the culmination of weeks of planning, coordination and care from fellow Republic Associates who rallied together.
Republic Airways Captain Joe Gibson has dedicated his life to service. From the Virginia National Guard to working as an ER nurse, to working with the Harrisonburg Rescue Squad, to Republic Airways.
We sat down with Captain Gibson to learn more about his dedication to service and find out what brought Joe to Republic Airways and what keeps him here.
Joe served in the Virginia National Guard for 21 years. “I had this dream of flying C-17s in the Air Force,” Joe explains. “I even got to fly home in the cockpit back from Afghanistan in ’05. I got the aviation bug after that.”
But when Joe got into the air, it wasn’t in the cockpit of a plane, but a helicopter. “After transitioning as a Warrant Officer, I was able to fly as a helicopter Pilot within the Virginia National Guard.” Joe flew as a Medivac Pilot for 8 years. “It was the perfect combination of my passions: flying and emergency medicine.”
Throughout his 21 years of National Guard service, Joe had plenty of transitions between his military life and his civilian life. “Veterans will understand, those transitions can be incredibly difficult,” Joe says.
Support from family and friends, as well as his dedication to service, helped him through it. “When you’re active duty, you have a purpose. It was nice to find that at home as an emergency nurse.”
Joe was only a few years from retirement as a Pilot from the National Guard when he made a daunting decision.
“I didn’t want to give up flying,” he remembers. “I spoke with a lot of military friends who had transitioned to commercial aviation, and I realized that there was a path for me to stay in the air.”
So he talked to his wife, quit his job and started to transition his rotor-wing experience into fixed-wing flying.
After a lot of hard work, Joe ended up at a veteran recruiting convention, RTAG, in San Diego. “I was just there to network and learn. I wasn’t expecting a job offer.”
On the plane ride home, however, he switched seats so a young lady could sit next to her friend. Turns out they were Republic Airways Recruiters heading home from the RTAG convention as well. “That plane ride turned into a three-hour conversation about my experience and the culture at Republic Airways. After that conversation, I was sold on Republic Airways.”
“It was clear that from that first conversation, Republic Airways was for me,” Joe says. “All the Captains I’ve ever flown with do a wonderful job. The mentorship they give to First Officers is incredible. Some of them would even give out their phone numbers, their emails, study guides and tip sheets.”
Over the years, Joe’s career has continued to advance, and in August of 2024, he completed his upgrade to Captain. “The culture, the Training Department, the facilities, the environment. It’s all designed with the goal of pushing people to become the Pilot they want to be.”
It wasn’t just in his career where Joe felt support. “I can’t speak enough of Republic’s culture across the board,” says Joe. “It really feels like family here.”
Joe recounts time and time again when Republic supported him and his family. “I had a family emergency right out of training as a First Officer. It was never even a question. They supported me.”
From the Republic baby blanket his son received to the support he receives when his daughter needs to go to the doctor when he’s away on a trip, Joe knows that this is a culture he wants to continue to be a part of.
“I’m passionate about this company. I’m passionate about giving back through my work with the Pilot Talent Acquisition Team to my relationships with my First Officers and my crew. Republic Airways took a chance on me and for that, I am always thankful.”
Learn more about how Republic Airways supports Pilots like Joe in their careers and in their lives at rjet.com/about.
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