The brotherhood of the United States Air Force is evident when listening to Dr. Daryl Smith and Walt Price interact. Clearly, they share a common bond from their many years of flying together on strategic missions that centered on national security.

Their bond is even stronger because of their shared faith in Jesus Christ.

Smith, now a professor at Cedarville University, remains in contact with his flying mate, Price, who works at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and resides just east of Cedarville University. For years, they not only flew together, but they worshipped together at Patterson Park Church in Beavercreek.

While their bond is tight, their paths to the Air Force were drastically different. It wasn’t until Smith was 13 that he gained an interest in flying, thanks to an aunt who took this young Cincinnati Reds fan to the United States Air Force Academy. For Smith, the trip to the Academy was interesting, but his interest was to play for the Reds. Little did he know that his trip with his aunt would change the trajectory of his life.

Likewise, Price wanted to be an astronaut, but he soon realized that he needed a stronger commitment to academics in school to reach that height. So, he joined the ROTC program at North Carolina State University and his path crystalized toward a career in the Air Force.