John “Buster” Wilcox of Cola Wealth Advisors Gives Flight to ROTC Cadet of the Month

After honoring Lt. Col. Rick Mantei of Cola Wealth Advisors for Veteran’s Day in November of 2022, Major Gregory Perry of the US Air Force and now Aerospace Science instructor for Spring Valley High’s ROTC reached out with an inspiring incentive. Cadets who meet standards of excellence in the ROTC and awarded Cadet of the Month would be offered a ride in a vintage aircraft piloted by Rick Mantei or John “Buster” Wilcox, both retired fighter pilots for the US Air Force. On this beautiful sunny Saturday, one such worthy cadet received a flight in the Fairchild PT-26 from John “Buster” Wilcox. The cadet, Sarah Hedley, will be graduating this year and is setting her sights on colleges in the northeast, possibly Pittsburg, but she’s also considering Harvard. She’s not sure yet what degree she’ll choose, but we’re sure with her work ethic and spirit, she’ll go far in whatever field she pursues. Her father, Terry Hedley, a retired F-16 USAF Pilot who flew with Wilcox at McIntire, took a flight as well, and father and daughter wore matching smiles stepping down off the wing.