They mocked the woman in seat 22C—until two fighter jets aligned with her window, and a pilot spoke her name in a way that made the entire plane forget how to breathe.

precision, and courage under cascading aerial systems failure while escorting the executive aircraft during a critical continuity event. Her actions preserved the safety of all aboard and prevented incalculable national consequences.

The words were official.

But then the room emptied a little, the formal voices stopped, and one woman from the executive continue reading …