Alan Jewett, Tennessee-based U.S. Army veteran from Phoenix, Arizona, was first a Helicopter Instructor Pilot in the U.S. Army and then continued his flying career as an Air Ambulance Helicopter Pilot in the civilian sector before stepping back from aviation due to a health diagnosis in 2024. Alan hopes this is only a pause of his nearly four-decades in aviation and that he can regain his pilot’s medical certificate in the near future. In 2023, Alan Jewett began his second career in the Substance Use Disorder (SUD) recovery care field with the organizations FirstHand Cares and JourneyPure at The River in Tennessee.
At FirstHand, Mr. Jewett was a FirstHand Guide, where he performed community outreach for individuals dealing with serious mental illness and/or addiction disorders. He also helped clients assigned to his care with accessing available benefits and resources, while coordinating primary care for these individuals with their health care provider.
Late in 2023, JourneyPure at the River hired him as its Continuing Care Coordinator, where he helped clients with devising recovery-oriented goals. He is an advocate for those who need recovery services and benefits. He also helped clients with developing healthy coping skills. Alan Jewett is a Certified Peer Recovery Specialist (CPRS) in Tennessee. His other degree outside of this certification is a bachelor’s degree in professional aeronautics from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
Outside of work, he volunteers at local food pantries and is active in service work for others when possible. He also facilitates SUD meetings in local treatment centers and sober living houses. His hobbies and interests include cycling, standup paddle-boarding, hiking, and attending live sporting events in the greater Nashville area or wherever his favorite teams are playing.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
A typical day begins with morning meditation and prayer time. I attend a fellowship meeting. I’ll then spend time at the gym for a recurring workout plan lasting about an hour. Most of my days are filled with whatever tasks I’ve scheduled. As I’m currently unemployed, some days I volunteer at a local food pantry and other days I spend helping with my grandchildren or biking with a few friends. I try to help others where I can, focusing on providing a hand up, not a hand out.
How do you bring ideas to life?
I discuss my ideas with others who could provide insight on the idea/topic. Bringing shared ideas, I have found, is better than making things fit my plan or ideas. As always, I include prayer.
What’s one trend that excites you?
I’m excited about how technology is enhancing safety in public transportation both through automation and advancement. Technology is enhancing ground and aviation safety by reducing the element of human error in accidents and enhancing early warnings for public safety for environmental and structural failures.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Making schedules daily helps me to remain focused on the tasks for that day, while accomplishing them in a timely manner. This helps me to prioritize ideas that need attention while remaining focused on those goals that need to be accomplished.
What advice would you give your younger self?
My advice to my younger self would be to stay focused on your dreams and goals; as they will work out if you work towards them. Keep focused on those goals and dreams that inspire you, and things will eventually work out as they are meant to be. One phrase I would emphasize would be to practice acceptance in your life.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
I believe a solution to any problem can be found from our past experiences if we look hard enough for the solution and not the problem. There is always a solution if we’re open enough to look past the problems at hand.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
I completely disconnect from technology for at least 15 minutes daily. I sit with myself, my thoughts, and my day ahead and am simply quiet. I allow my thoughts to flow and follow them as they come. A meditation of thoughts allows you to observe your thoughts as they come without getting caught up in them. Simply, some time alone everyday is beneficial for me.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
I pause and think of what can I change about the situation. I do that and let the rest go. It’s a cliché, but things will be what they will be.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
Staying focused on what is needed to succeed in my career, while expanding my educational opportunities. Staying current with current trends through educational briefings/seminars. I’ve attended continuing educational seminars within the aviation arena to stay current on advancing techniques.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
A few character defects overwhelmed my direction in life, behaviors that I felt would provide relief, but did not. I have not overcome these character defects, but I try to ask for help daily and not repeat them. Working towards being the person I want to be is a daily effort.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
Calendar programs with alarm settings built in. I won’t state the name I use, as there are many applications that could be utilized.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
The book Alcoholics Anonymous is my favorite, as it truly provides a few simple rules to follow. A good orderly direction that has worked for over 90 years for millions of people should not be overlooked.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
It’s not entirely recent, but I’ll watch Top Gun and Maverick. I enjoy the story of failure followed by success in both of these movies.
Key learnings
- Setting goals and timelines to accomplish tasks helps to focus energy toward accomplishing the stated objectives.
- Our lived experiences help us to become better people along with helping others.
- Asking for input on ideas from others is an available recourse. Look for the similarities and not the differences that will work toward the desired outcome.
- Look for the benefits of technology in your daily routine, but take time to disconnect from it as well—quality over quantity.