Shane Engelauf, U.S. Army veteran, served from 2003 to 2011. SHANE ENGELAUF / COURTESY PHOTO
In high-stress situations, the body instinctively activates a fight-or-flight response, and these remarkable individuals embodied both.
Military veteran pilots from the South Florida community have bravely shared their journeys, revealing how they confronted the intense challenges of airborne combat while also charting new paths in the civilian workforce following their years of service. Their stories illuminate the dual mission of serving our nation in the skies and adapting to the complexities of life beyond warfare.
Shane Engelauf, U.S. Army to Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office
Engelauf is a distinguished U.S. Army veteran who served from 2003 to 2011. He was active in Operations Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom as an OH-58D scout pilot and instructor. He furthered his military career as a primary flight instructor at Fort Novosel (formerly called Fort Rucker) in Alabama and worked with several teams, including the Narcotics and Law Enforcement Bureau, as an MI-17 instructor.
Engelauf served as a Warrant Officer 1 and pilot in Operations Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
Today, he serves as the chief pilot at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office, continuing his commitment to community protection.
“I went in when I was 23. By age 26, I was ranked aircraft commander and led a team and managed the task and training of two helicopters daily,” said Engelauf. “When I retired, I was a military flight instructor with about 30 guys underneath me. I wasn’t even 30 years old yet and making decisions on life-or-death situations. It was high stress.”
Engelauf explained that he enlisted after the 9/11 attacks while working at a police department, motivated by a strong desire to serve his country during a period of notably low military enlistment.
“Sept. 11 defined my life,” he said. “It was before the surge and when things were not going too great. I am the first in my family to serve; they were concerned but understood that it was my time to go. I originally wanted to join the Navy. Being a Navy Seal seemed so cool. But I ended up in the Army. I had a college degree and got married six months after enlisting.”
Engelauf is the chief pilot for the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office. SHANE ENGELAUF / COURTESY PHOTOS
After living in California, Engelauf was initially stationed in New York.
Engelauf joked, “I feel like they put you as far away from home as possible. They let you write a ‘wish list’ of your top three location spots and then send you somewhere completely different.”
Engelauf explained he had his pilot’s license before recruitment with the Army and received the rank of warrant officer 1.
“I never had the intention of flying when I joined. I went from little Piper planes that basically flew themselves to huge military machines. Our helicopters were constantly shaking and rattling with any small movement. It was like trying to hold a yoga pose for eight hours and with limited food,” Engelauf said. “With the helicopters, we did special operations with soldiers on the battlefield; the ability we had was amazing. We shot rockets, rescued men, took widerange photos and delivered gas and supplies to those on foot. If they dismounted patrols, you supported them.
Zabka served in the Air Force for over 20 years. DENNIS ZABKA / COURTESY PHOTOS
“The Green Zone in Baghdad was extremely active; we did gun fights daily. I did that for a year. We got up and fought the enemy every day, and I did that for five years. I did anything to support the men on the ground; it was a privilege,” he added. “I spent 18 months in Afghanistan, and 18 months is a long time. Then, 13 months in Iraq. They were sending us there for a long time, something I agreed needed to happen.”
Engelauf reminisced about his time in service, recalling fond moments with his flight team as they dropped boxes of ice cream to the soldiers patrolling on foot, sharing laughter and signaling together with a “thumbs-up.” However, his experiences were also marked by intensity, as his base was overrun by enemy forces on two occasions, demanding defensive fire from the helicopters he operated.
“We would pull straws for the ‘rabbit.’ It was the helicopter that flew lower in active combat and would get intentionally shot at. Then we would take off our helmets, put our heads out the helicopter, listen to where they were shooting from and fire back,” explained Engelauf. “Nobody wanted the ‘rabbit,’ and it might not have been the best idea, but it worked.”
Zabka is the assistant chief pilot at Paragon Flight Training School. DENNIS ZABKA / COURTESY PHOTOS
Engelauf continued, “Once, we had a snake in our helicopter. It was between my legs. I had to have my buddy try to shoot it without getting me. The probability of him hitting my leg was higher than getting the black and yellow snake.”
During Engelauf’s missions, he helped rescue soldiers during tense situations. Something he called a “mental game.”
“We were searching for a village along the mountains. My wingman crashed his helicopter and rolled down the mountainside. We call that ‘Fallen Angels.’ We had no communication with him through his radio, and while trying to rescue him, we also had to hold off the enemy trying to reach him on land,” said Engelauf. “We got him to safety, minus some broken bones, in less than 30 minutes.”
Zabka was deployed and worked with Nuclear Commands during his service.
Engelauf discussed the challenges families and military personnel faced during combat, noting that while he was deployed, contact with his family back in the States was minimal for safety reasons. He explained that letters often took three to six months to arrive through “snail mail” and that the task of delivering these messages put the soldiers at risk, further complicating their already dangerous environment.
“I received a postcard from my wife. Attached was a picture of our daughter and her cousin, who was about the same age. While looking at the photo, I didn’t know which one was my daughter. That hurt a lot,” he recalled. “My wife was then pregnant during my second deployment. She was having complications, and I was trying to communicate with her over a phone that cut out every couple of seconds.”
While in the Army, Engelauf received several awards, including seven Air Medals and the “Crazy Horse Kamikaze OEF” patch for 2009-2010, before transitioning back into civilian work.
Brown served in the Air Force for over 20 years.
Engelauf held the position of lead pilot for an air ambulance service in New Mexico, working with special service medics for seven years. Now Engelauf works as the chief pilot at the Charlotte County Sheriff’s Office.
“I always knew I wanted to work in a squad. I went from police to Army and back to police,” he said. “We do everything to help with law enforcement from search and rescue, water rescues with Army helicopters, air firefighting, catching people on foot and everyone’s favorite, mosquito control. It is very different work but similar in how you prepare.”
Engelauf stated that following hurricanes, his team at the Sheriff’s Office is the first out and utilizes night vision and thermal goggles to survey the area before dispatching patrol cars to aid those in need, ensuring effective communication and safe operations.
Brown and his fleet during his deployment in Germany. DAVID BROWN/COURTESY PHOTOS
He added that he is surrounded by other Sheriff’s Office staff with military backgrounds, who share jokes and stories from their various service branches.
“The infiltrate units sacrificed a lot, along with the families. Families are heavily impacted, and it can be a struggle. Young kids are going out there,” said Engelauf, regarding those he served alongside. “It was a privilege to support them on their mission and be just a part of their stories. I have so much appreciation and respect for other veterans and those serving. While in the Army, it was an honor to work with other soldiers and to serve and see them from the helicopters.”
Dennis A. Zabka, U.S. Air Force to Paragon Flight Training School
Zabka dedicated over 20 years to serving in the United States Air Force, earning prestigious awards for his exceptional aviation skills while on active duty overseas.
Today, he continues to take flight in his career as the assistant chief pilot at Paragon Flight Training School, where he develops future aviation leaders by supporting 300 students and clients.
Brown was stationed in Vietnam as a forward air controller in 1966.
“I came from a middle-class family and was going through different scholarships and ways to attend college. I looked at a few (military) branches and was accepted into the Air Force Academy in 1999. I completed the academy in 2003 within Colorado, earning a Bachelor of Science degree,” said Zabka.
He continued, “The Air Force builds character, leadership, scientific skills and engineering. If you are having a bad week, you cannot get up and leave to go see your family.”
Zabka received advanced instruments training from the Air Force Flight Standards Academy and holds a master of aeronautical sciences (with distinction) and a bachelor’s in business management/administration from the Air Force Academy.
The decorated veteran has been recognized twice for exceptionally qualified flight evaluations, ranking in the top 5 percent. Zabka has earned several awards, including the Air Medal (combat), the Aerial Achievement Medal and the Headquarters Safety Award and was named Instruction Pilot of the Year in 2010.
Shoener, a veteran of the United States Air Force. DENNIS SHOENER / COURTESY PHOTO
Throughout his service, Zabka’s military career has flown him across the country in operations from Colorado, Louisiana, Mississippi and North Dakota, and he had combat obligations in Korea and Operation Enduring Freedom.
He shared that over his 20-year career with the Air Force, he relocated 10 times and continues to visit Korea with his children, where he met his wife.
“She was there working and teaching English,” said Zabka. “I was sent to Korea in 2007 and was training the United States Army and Korean Army on how to use U.S. Air Power, and I was a captain. While in the Middle East, I would fly above those on foot, entering cities and kicking down doors.”
U.S. Air Power refers to the capability of utilizing aircraft for national defense and conducting offensive operations against other nations during conflicts.
For two years, Zabka served as the chief of Nuclear Operations Quality Assurance, overseeing the evaluation of the procedures within the Northern Nuclear Command and Control framework.
“I was working at Shrine Mountain in Colorado as a nuclear control commander. It was about coding, decoding and sending signals and information to shooters. I was there to advise the general on what to advise the president if there was nuclear warfare; we practiced and trained to be experts on it,” he said.
Zabka also held other key positions, including assistant director of operations of the 11th Bomb Squadron, global strike advisor, chief of standardization and evaluations, inspector, B-52 instructor and evaluator pilot, commander of the 69th Bomb Squadron, director of operations of the 5th Bomb Squadron and chief of future operations for the 7th Air Force.
Through this, Zabka directed 15 military personnel and combat-ready airmen fleets, leading flying and ground operations worth $130 million worldwide. Zabka oversaw $1.6 million in weapon training range contracts, facilitated $2 million in resources, directed headquarters and assessed foreign airspace and range compatibility for a $300 million flying program.
Zabka then utilized his love for flying and aviation skills to pursue his next profession during his final months in the Air Force before retiring.
“I joined Paragon Flight Training School while I was still on active duty through the Skill Bridge Program. It allowed me to transition from military training and policies to civilian work experience. I am grateful for that opportunity. When you do well at your job in the service, they don’t always want to see you leave,” he said.
Zabka has over 3,200 flight hours in various divisions and nearly 1,500 hours as a pilot in command.
Zabka has been the assistant chief pilot at Paragon Flight Training School for the past year. There, he applies his knowledge to training new instructors and assists students in translating their classroom learning into practical flying experiences. He reviews the syllabus, emphasizes safety protocols and guides clients as they progress through the flying stages.
“We help mentor new pilots and assist with finding different careers within flying, from being a private pilot with paid flyers, commercial flying and even delivering supplies and working in the medical fields,” said Zabka.
Chris Schoensee of Paragon Flight Training Company commented on Zabka: “He is a truly amazing leader and human being.”
Paragon Flight Training School is located in both Fort Myers and Punta Gorda. The company offers programs tailored for recreational, commercial and professional flying, as well as military and governmental pilot training, paralleling the journey that Zabka experienced during his service in the Air Force.
David Brown, U.S. Air Force to commercial and private pilot for celebrities
Brown enlisted in the military in 1956 and served in the U.S. Air Force until 1979. The respected veteran now reflects on his career experiences almost seven decades later, with memories of traveling the world during his military tours and even accompanying celebrities through red-eye flights to sold-out concerts.
“My dad was in the Army and I was on my high school’s rifle team. The team would meet up and practice. We would then take our equipment and compete at other schools. Then, I attended Auburn University and was part of the Reserved Officers’ Training Corps program,” said Brown.
“I joined the Air Force simply because I wanted to fly,” he said. “They paid us $40 a month to fly, which seemed like a lot back then. Through this, I was committed to serve in active duty for two years.”
After two months of recruitment, Brown was sent to San Antonio, Texas. He had basic training in Florida, followed by jet-flying preparation. Brown finished in Phoenix, Arizona, for training on F-100 jet fighter planes.
“The first place we went to was Germany. I was stationed there for about two years and operated to keep the Russians from coming into areas from western Berlin. You would fly 500 feet above the ground in solo planes and drop bombs on the enemy. Following that, I assisted with the 24-hour alerts and targets for nuclear bombing in areas of Europe,” said Brown.
He continued, “During my active-duty service, I was married. My late wife was an amazing mate. We got married when she was 17 years old and she made all this possible. There was a lot of separation, with me being in the Air Force, but we traveled and had a lot of fun together throughout our 63 years of marriage.”
Brown recalled his experiences in Germany. Despite the high-pressure environment, he said the fleet bonded at local pubs. He shared that each group of pilots had unique patches, which they humorously displayed on their backsides as they struck playful poses for the camera, all while dressed in German hosiery.
“Everyone there only drank beer. So, we got dressed up and went. We looked ridiculous,” Brown said, laughing.
Following his obligations in Germany, Brown served his first year in the Vietnam War in 1966.
“I was a forward air controller. The planes we flew were very maneuverable, and we would fly over the bad guys and drop bombs. We had about 800 men that would fly over to help support duties from the commander,” said Brown. “Sometimes, our instructions were done on foot. I didn’t like walking around the jungle. I wanted to fly. We would get one helmet full of water. That is what you used to brush your teeth, shave and shower with.”
Brown continued his military commitments at the Army Commander’s Staff College in Kansas, where he graduated. He flew F-104 planes there, which he compared to “a sports car.”
Brown held key positions, assisting in establishing training programs for Norwegian, Dutch and German pilots. Brown also traveled to Tucson, Arizona, where he worked with A-7 planes, which were initially designed for the Navy but later adopted by the Air Force. Brown described the aircraft as “a one-seater that carried a very big bomb load.”
“We took them to Hawaii and spent two months dropping bombs on large islands,” he said. “Then I decided to go to Thailand during the Vietnam War. I was there for about three months and worked with the search and rescue. If a pilot were shot down, we would locate and bring them back.”
Brown remarked that during his more than 20 years in the Air Force, he moved an estimated 16 times. Stating, “You learn not to collect a lot of junk.”
Brown’s travels also took him to Hampton, Virginia and Homestead, Florida. While in Virginia, Brown achieved the rank of colonel and led efforts to ensure fighter planes were combat-ready and could “fight a good battle,” a role he held for three years. In Florida, he served as base commander, a position that did not require flight time.
Brown retired from the Air Force at 43, transitioning to commercial and private flying for an insurance company and notable celebrities, including Garth Brooks. Brown recalls the country singer dancing around the cabin during an overnight flight, entertaining the staff with songs.
“I was flying private jets for another 20 years. It was a great company. My wife, Marilyn, and I got to see the world,” said Brown.
He explained that the duo would fly to different regions of the United States for shopping trips, special events and other purposes.
At the age of 65, Brown and his wife relocated for the final time to Naples in 1997.
Although Brown’s wife passed away 8 years ago, he says he continues to enjoy traveling with a longtime friend and partner. He shared his passion for cruises, traveling often to explore different provinces of the world in a more personalized and waterfront focused way.
Dennis Shoener, U.S. Air Force to Air Force Reserve
Shoener served in the U.S. Air Force from 1956 to 1966. During his 10 years in the service, he traveled throughout Europe and now participates in the Vi at Bentley Village’s monthly gatherings, “Coffee with Veterans.” Shoener said these social events bring together those who have served, allowing veterans of all branches to connect through shared stories and exemplifying the true essence of being a veteran.
“I went to school in South Dakota. I graduated and I wanted to study engineering. I was about 18 or 19 years old when I got drafted,” said Shoener. “It wasn’t scary. You got a postcard in the mail saying to report and that is what you did. The draft was the best thing that happened to me.”
Shoener said he grew up on a farm in a large family of eight children, deeply rooted in a strong military heritage, with his father having served in World War I.
“I had four brothers in the Navy. My oldest brother was shot down four different times. Another brother was shot down by a suicide squad,” he said. “When I was drafted, I knew I didn’t want to go into the Army.”
Shoener explained that he decided to follow a different path from his siblings by pursuing his military duties as a pilot in the Air Force.
“I asked if I could take the test for aviation,” said Shoener. “I would help out other people. Some guys were so little they would have to sit on pillows to see out. That would not have passed nowadays. I even received letters later on from some of the guys thanking me.”
Shoener became part of the aviation training program, which he said involved two years of schooling.
After completing his credentials, Shoener explained he joined the Air Guard and partnered with John Deere. This well-established company supported the military by producing aircraft parts, submarine components, ammunition and military-styled machinery and vehicles.
“A lot of these pilots were sent off to Vietnam. I was sent to Germany in 1961 during the Berlin Crisis,” said Shoener. “I was sent there to work on nuclear targeting and a recall with flying equipment.”
Shoener added, “The Russians were known for starting something and shooting at everything. We had a 98% return rate on the men flying out and battling.”
During his service, Shoener highlighted that he joined the Air Force Reserve and was reassigned multiple times, being sent overseas to Germany, England and Spain in 1963.
“You had to fly to get paid. We would fly planes to go look at other planes,” he explained. “Once, we had a guy flying, and we would all move to the back of the plane. It sent the plane’s nose upward. Then, we moved to the front and it would send it straight downward. You couldn’t do that today or would probably get court-martialed.”
Shoener reflected on memories from the Air Force, recounting an incident where a G33 plane caught fire, prompting the team of young pilots to fight the flames and drop the tank mid-flight.
“Another time, I had to travel in with cargo luggage. I was just packed in and surrounded by parachutes,” he recalled.
Shoener highlighted his experience with the Air Force by stating, “It was an honor and privilege. I love the Air Force; it is filled with many talented individuals. The people are great, and I got to travel the world.”
“While I was in Austria, I met a girl. We got married and had two boys,” he said.
Shoener stated that he returned to the United States in 1970 after he retired from the Air Force and subsequently worked for John Deere, where he served as general manager until 1992.
Shoener lives in Southwest Florida and actively participates in veteran-focused organizations and programs, attending events hosted by Vi at Bentley Village and Freedom Works.
“These gatherings can get over 100 veterans, both men and women. They help find benefits for veterans and assist with the ‘where to go and who to see,’” said Shoener. “My son and I attended a veterans fishing trip. It was a lot of fun; he caught the most fish out there.”
The Air Force veteran described the friendships formed during his service, stating, “They are all true and lifetime friends. I am 91 years old and still send Christmas cards to those I served with. I have one friend who I keep in contact with; he is 94 years old.” ¦
