From the Editor

As the summer days grow longer, we in the Girard household inevitably begin contemplating our movie consumption for the season. What throwback movies we’d like to see at the Sunrise, what new movies are scheduled for release in theaters, what movie we haven’t seen yet on Netflix or HBO. And, much to our children’s chagrin, my wife and I reiterate one of our family’s founding principles in life: The book must be read before the movie is watched. I know … not really on par with the Golden Rule, but for a magazine editor and writer and an English major and teacher, it ranks a close second. My daughter seems to have embraced the concept. She’s working her way through the Grisha Trilogy by Leigh Bardugo before watching the first book’s adaptation Shadow and Bone on Netflix (Pride and Prejudice offered a little more of a challenge). My son is less inspired by the family creed as he works his way through Dune, and I fear his faith will wane considerably once he goes off to college and adulthood next year.

I must admit, however, though it pains me to do so, that this creed has ruined many a movie for me over the years. The film adaptation, inevitably, does not live up to the book’s high standard of excellence. And I seem to fall into the trap of anticipation again and again. I still get excited when Hollywood takes on one of my favorite novels, yet almost always I walk away mumbling, “The book was better” or overanalyzing why certain plot lines were left out before cursing the screenwriter and Hollywood hacks for fumbling another one.

There are exceptions, of course. My absolute favorite book serial is the Aubrey-Maturin epic by Patrick O’Brian. This 20-book canon (21 if we count the unfinished novel he was working on at the time of his death) is a masterpiece of love, loss and the British nautical world during the Napoleonic Wars.

The breadth and knowledge of the early 1800s, naval warfare and seamanship, in my opinion, cannot be matched in the written world. And if you’re fortunate enough to delve into this series, I wager by book eight you’ll feel confident enough to sail yourself around the world. Almost as an afterthought, you suddenly realize you understand why the need to double-reef the topsails, when to use a 12-pound cannon or a carronade in battle or what climbing through the lubber’s hole means.

It is far from unusual to come across sentences like this from book 13, The Thirteen-Gun Salute: “After a measured mile for good luck, he gave the orders that would carry the ship as nearly due west as the south-west wind would allow; and he found to his pleasure that she needed it only half a point free to run happily at seven knots under no more than topsails and courses, though a moderate sea kept striking her larboard bow with all the regularity of a long-established swell, throwing her slightly of her course and sweeping spray and even packets of water diagonally across the forecastle and the waist. This, and the taste of salt on their lips, was a deep satisfaction.”

So when Hollywood decided to tackle O’Brian’s world in 2003 with Master and Commander: The Far Side of the World, you can imagine my overt and vociferous concern. I should not have worried. It was as much of a cinematic masterpiece as the novels it was based on. All was right with the world.

Wherever you fall on the “read first or watch first” spectrum, I wish you a happy moviefilled (and novel-filled) summer.

JULY/AUGUST 2021

PUBLISHER/EDITOR Greg Girard greg@pinehurstlivingmagazine.com

PUBLISHER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR Amanda Jakl amanda@pinehurstlivingmagazine.com

ADVERTISING SALES Debbie Jordan debbie@pinehurstlivingmagazine.com

GRAPHIC DESIGN Steve Jordan

COPY EDITOR Rachel Dorrell

OUR GIRLS FRIDAY Amanda Oden, Iris Voelker

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robert Gable, Sundi McLaughlin, Dolores Muller, Robert Nason, William C. Nelson, Ray Owen, Sassy Pellizzari, Helen Ross, Whitney Weston

PHOTOGRAPHY Amanda Jakl, Moore County Historical Association, Sovereign Aerospace, Tufts Archives

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© Copyright 2021. Pinehurst Living is published six times annually by Sand & Pine LLC. Any reproduction in part or in whole of any part of this publication is prohibited without the express written consent of the publisher.

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In Flight

ol. Phillip Thompson goes by the callsign “Slim,” a

Cfriendly sobriquet that attached to him during his budding years at the Air Force Academy, and just always stuck.

Now 52, Thompson exhibits a presence that is rather more formidable than the moniker “Slim” would suggest. As befitting a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel right out of central casting, Thompson is tall and broad-shouldered, perambulating with a purpose and economy that typify a man who holds power in reserve. He looks straight at you when he speaks, his eyes at once penetrating and discerning,

Sovereign Aerospace Plants Its Flag at Moore County Airport

Story by William C. Nelson Photography by Amanda Jakl and courtesy of Sovereign Aerospace

and kind. He cuts a memorable figure, but he also exudes an easy, natural Southern charm acquired by way of small-town roots.

A native of Perry, Georgia, Thompson married his juniorhigh sweetheart, and after a 27-year military career he settled with her in 2004 in Whispering Pines, where they are raising four children.

Thompson is also raising a corporation based out of Moore County Airport—a company he started from scratch, which, like a school-aged offspring, is now growing by leaps and bounds.

Left, Slim Thompson, owner and CEO of Sovereign Aerospace.

Company CFO and director of operations Ken Hadaway says there are actually eight business lines in the Sovereign portfolio today, either fully developed or under development.

Sovereign Aerospace is a new company—it has only been doing business for less than a year—but it is rapidly gathering clients and allies. What the firm does not already offer the aeronautically minded, it has plans to be offering in the near future. Slim Thompson, who is owner and CEO, intends to see to that; and he is casting a wide net in search of talent to join his network of associates.

The Sovereign Aerospace umbrella covers a number of distinct business units, most notably a flight school, an aircraft-maintenance firm, and a group in service of veterans transitioning to civilian life. Company CFO and director of operations Ken Hadaway says there are actually eight business lines in the Sovereign portfolio today, either fully developed or under development.

The flight school, Sandhills Fliers, began training new pilots in April 2020, and in the year since has grown from 22 students using four planes to 160 students with 16 planes at their disposal. The maintenance company, Pinehurst Aviation Services, handles repairs, upkeep, and inspections for all manner of pistonpowered aircraft, with five mechanics and a director of maintenance in its employ. It is also active in apprenticing new talent wishing to acquire licensing in aircraft powerplant and airframe maintenance.

The unit that appears to give Thompson a particular and personal kind of pride is Veterans Transition Corps, a nonprofit entity offering counseling services and training to help ease the transition of military operators out of the service into civilian life, especially those who wish to develop a personal interest in piloting or aviation business or aircraft mechanic’s work— “whatever interest they want to pursue in the areas we work in,” says Thompson.

He explains the need for transitional services: “Veterans have historically had a clear sense of identity, purpose, mission and community. Veteran suicide rates, often quoted as 22 per day, have been hovering near

an all-time high. Many of these heroes have been operating at full tilt for 20 years straight. Deferred maintenance on their internal operating system leads to broken bodies and stressed or neglected relationships with family and friends. Then, when a military member finally separates after a service commitment, the future suddenly presents unknowns and additional stresses.”

The answer offered by Veterans Transition Corps is to insulate those most at risk with a strong community of support from people who are also transitioning or have already transitioned. Says Thompson: “We give them life skills to self-examine their spiritual, physical, and mental balance. We help replace patriotic military service with new, high-demand and well-paying aviation skill sets. What we get in return is an arsenal of problemsolvers with world experience for community service who can be counted on when a need arises. We have a lot of vets retiring to the Sandhills, and so now they’re here for the next 40 years. Sovereign can be an asset to them, and they will be good for Sovereign.”

Thompson easily recognized the magnetic effect that the Pinehurst region exerts on people who command resources and talent and highly developed skill sets. What he saw in Moore County was fertile soil for cultivating the kind of business that he had in mind someday growing. And the growth has thus far been encouraging. Company CFO Hadaway handles a lot of the business details, including the blizzard of paperwork required to make an operation like Sovereign go. He points out that the North Carolina Department of Transportation’s Division of Aviation has, just since the COVID pandemic, “really ramped up. Moore County alone has seen tens of millions of dollars directed into support

and development of this airport.” This helps make for a propitious business environment.

“A year ago we had about 20 associates involved with Sovereign, from workers to student pilots to aircraft share owners. Today we are close to 200 people deep,” he says. “With the kind of people this region attracts, and the network of contacts that Sovereign is building, in the future I see limitless possibilities. We plan to expand our scope into disaster response and air ambulance services and logistical support in disaster zones, both in the U.S. and abroad.”

Thompson’s vision for the business is people-centered. “We are building a business based on connections, and these folks we are connecting are some of the best problem-solvers in the world. Our function will be to connect these trained problem-solvers with the problems needing attention, and give people a talented community where they can build businesses together. We are like a booster rocket: An entrepreneur comes to us with an idea. We help get them launched, and then fall back into a support role as they move toward self-sufficiency.”

It also bears mentioning that the world of aviation is now beset by a labor shortage. There exists an increasingly acute need for more pilots and mechanics. This itself augurs well for any business doing the work of Sovereign Aerospace.

Slim Thompson finds his center in the values he learned as a boy in a small-town Southern church: God, country, service and purpose. He speaks unsentimentally about these ideas, because they are not artificially tacked on to his persona, but are simply a part of his being. It is not hard to find like-minded people in the Sandhills, and Thompson is finding them.

Moore County Airport bills itself as the Gateway to the Sandhills. The existence, on premises, of a company like Sovereign Aerospace in fact makes our local airport also a gateway to the world at large, as the advantages of private aviation increasing gain currency. Having a wellrounded aeronautical services firm in our own backyard is good for business, for lifestyle, and for the educational possibilities of local residents.

Persons interested in seeing Sovereign Aerospace up-close can visit the corporate office in the General Aviation terminal at Moore County Airport. Otherwise, visit the company website sovaero.com, or telephone 910.246.0349. PL

Spies

Story by Ray Owen

Fort Bragg is among the largest military installations in the world, bordering the town of Southern Pines. The base is home of the 82nd Airborne and Special Operations, postured to respond globally with around 57,000 military personnel.

Along with this comes a mix of foreign operatives whose task is to gather intelligence, sometimes aided by technology.

According to the International Spy

Museum in Washington, D.C., there are more than 10,000 agents working for at least 60 to 80 nations in our nation’s capital. The Fort Bragg region ranks somewhere below that number in terms of activity.

A local Special Operations commander says there might be a few thousand individuals around Southern Pines collecting foreign intelligence. This commander requested anonymity, saying: “The general public should be aware. The best practice is to understand and take the necessary precautions to recognize what’s happening right in front of you.”

This is not classified information, it’s just not publicized, and the commander goes on

Among Us

to say that the military knows the general public is unaware of this activity. “It’s safe to say that if there’s a hundred people gathered anywhere in town, one or two are probably someone you don’t want to talk to you.”

“The primary focus is on troop movements and deployments,” says the commander. “They could be anybody you’d pass on the street, what you might call ‘normal people.’ They won’t be actively collecting, simply forwarding information they might hear at a barbershop, working in retail or in a restaurant—conversations that shouldn’t be had in public.”

“They will listen in their normal pattern of life and forward information to a handler who is the actual intelligence officer. An unproffered solicitation on the street might come off as strange, so unless they’re tasked to do so, they just passively collect on your behavior. This is a ubiquitous threat against Special Operations personnel.”

The best thieves are the nicest people. According to the commander: “They might be a student, retail worker, business owner or college professor. They are your next-door neighbor, someone you interact with on a daily basis—you just don’t know.”

As for their method of operation, it’s typically interpersonal interaction, listening

»» In theory, a foreign agent collecting information would exploit natural fissures in the sociocultural fabric. It’s a standard procedure. They identify key influencers or people in a population that could be exploited— that’s a tried-and-true technique. ««

to a conversation as a third party or having it one-on-one. There’s much less technical tradecraft than in the movies. It’s more human interaction, agents using elicitation techniques.

“Because they don’t spy all the time, they go about their daily life, their normal routine,” says the commander. “When they hear something about ‘X’ they pass it on. Maybe they only hear about ‘X’ once this month, so they’re not spying the whole time, they’re only doing it when they hear about ‘X.’”

“A lot of business gets talked on the golf course. Maybe it’s the caddy or someone they play golf with. Maybe it’s someone working in the restaurant at the 19th hole, it doesn’t matter. This can be industrial espionage as well. It doesn’t have to be military, it can be business secrets.”

“In theory, a foreign agent collecting information would exploit natural fissures in the sociocultural fabric,” says the commander, meaning this could be an instigator at public meetings. “It’s a standard procedure. They identify key influencers or people in a population that could be exploited—that’s a tried-and-true technique.”

Either directly or indirectly, military family members can be targeted because a soldier is vulnerable based on their circumstances. Say a child needs medical attention and you can’t pay for it, if someone offers money for information, you might consider doing it.

The goal of espionage is to create a network of people providing intelligence, and that requires finding individuals willing to ultimately break the law. Military contractors would be targets— anyone with access to nonpublic or private information.

“Spying is a game,” says the

Photo by Jennifer B. Photography

»» There’s two approaches to espionage. The Bondtype character, good-looking, someone that walks into a room and people are beguiled by them. The other is a guy who blends into the background. ««

commander. “It’s typically nonlethal, and when you get discovered, you’re simply sent home. You’re marked persona non grata and never allowed to return. Major army installations, especially this one, Bragg, home of Special Operations Command and frequently deployed airborne units, have pretty robust intelligence gathering.”

“It would be strange if there wasn’t a foreign espionage presence around there,” says Dr. Andrew Hammond, curator at the International Spy Museum. “Think about the kinds of things that happen at Fort Bragg, the types of units and commands housed there. It’s a target-rich environment in many ways.”

“I would be surprised if there wasn’t monitoring of radio, telecommunications, electronic intelligence, signal intelligence, all that kind of stuff,” says Hammond. “It could be getting computer code. There’s also various equipment that detects chemicals, smells and sounds.”

“There would be the usual suspects trying to identify people with access to information, trying to get them to pass it on,” says Hammond. “A traditional way is offering money. Coercion is another method, blackmailing someone after finding a way to get leverage. I would imagine that taking place, that kind of human intelligence.”

“The honey trap is a classic mode of espionage. Basically, it’s what it sounds like, honey referring to seduction. It’s not just women that have been involved in this. Breweries and bars are good because when people get drunk they’re less careful. Someone with access to privileged information that has a reputation for drinking a bit too much, that would be a target.”

“There’s two approaches to espionage,” Hammond continues. “The Bond-type character, good-looking, someone that walks into a room and people are beguiled by them. The other is a guy who blends into the background. For the honey trap, it could be someone good looking, but looks only go so far. It could also be someone that could charm the birds out of the trees.”

Hammond says identifying a spy is challenging. “I think certain patterns of behavior lets you know, like that person engaging in an activity that leads me to believe they’re a spy. Just blending in, not being noticed that much—that helps, right?”

Being a resort community, there are people from everywhere here. A spy would blend in pretty well, with folks coming and going so much. For the most part, the average person doesn’t track the background of those they encounter. People show up, tell you who they are and you believe them. That makes this an easy place for an operative to work.

“If you go to a small town out in the boonies somewhere, everybody’s from there, every family has been there a few generations. You walk down main street and people wonder who the hell is this person. It’s more difficult to be a spy there. But if you have a population that’s transient, that’s another target-rich environment.”

“Every nation is engaging in some kind of espionage,” says Hammond, “whether it’s only with her neighbor or countries all over the world. This is just what people have been doing this as far back as we have any records. I think part of the story is that this is what states do to other states.” PL

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French Summer Fare

Bastille Day marks the anniversary of the fall of the Bastille (medieval fortress) in Paris on July 14, 1789. At the time, political prisoners were often kept there and it became a symbol of monarchical tyranny during the 18th century. The taking of the Bastille by the Paris mob signaled the beginning of the French Revolution, and the day became an official holiday in France in 1880.

We thought it was appropriate, therefore, to honor France’s national holiday with some French cuisine perfect for a summer day. There are not enough pages in this magazine to address the celebrated culinary history of France. Needless to say, cuisine is something the French take very seriously. There are a host of reasons why the French became synonymous with cooking, but the idea that cooking is a form of art, and that it should be enjoyed slowly and with a glass of wine, is probably the most prevalent.

Dis-moi ce que tu manges, je te dirai qui tu es. Vive le 14 juillet!

Grilled Chicken & Ratatouille

epicurious.com / Serves 6

Ingredients

2 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise 1 medium Japanese eggplant, halved lengthwise 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1-inch-wide strips 1 red onion, peeled, cut into ½-inch-wide wedges (leave root end intact) 2 medium tomatoes, halved crosswise 2 tablespoons olive oil 6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 3 pounds) ¼ cup thinly sliced basil 1 ½ teaspoons red wine vinegar

Directions

Prepare grill (medium-high heat). Place first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Drizzle oil over and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Grill vegetables until tender and slightly charred, about 4 minutes for peppers and 7 minutes for remaining vegetables. Transfer to cutting board. Place chicken breasts in same large bowl. Turn to coat with any remaining oil in bowl. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Grill chicken, covered, until cooked through, about 6 minutes per side. Let stand 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, coarsely chop vegetables and transfer to another large bowl. Add basil and vinegar and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Slice chicken crosswise into ½-inch-thick slices; serve with ratatouille.

Salmon Rillettes

saveur.com / Serves 6

Ingredients

2 scallions, white and light green parts minced (¼ cup), dark green parts reserved 1 medium lemon, zested ½ cup dry white wine Kosher salt 8 ounce salmon fillet (preferably wild Alaskan), skin and bones removed 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened 1 small shallot, finely chopped Freshly ground black pepper ¼ pound smoked salmon, cut into thin strips or small squares ¼ cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons whole grain Dijon mustard 1 tablespoon capers, rinsed, patted dry, and finely chopped ½ teaspoon honey 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill 1 tablespoon finely chopped cilantro Crackers or sliced baguette

Directions

In a medium pot, add the dark scallion parts, a thin slice of the lemon, the wine, ½ cup water, and a pinch of salt; bring to a boil over high heat, then add the salmon fillet, lower the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, cover, and cook for 1 minute. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside (still covered) for 10 minutes. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the salmon to a plate and refrigerate for 20 minutes or up to 24 hours (cover if refrigerating longer than an hour). Discard the cooking liquid.

Juice the remaining lemon and set the juice aside. In a medium bowl, beat the butter with a silicone spatula until smooth and spreadable. Add the lemon zest, 1 tablespoon of the lemon juice, the scallions, and shallot, and season lightly with salt and black pepper. Stir to combine, then stir in the smoked salmon.

In a small bowl, stir together the mayonnaise, mustard, capers, honey, 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice, and a pinch of black pepper; add to the smoked salmon mixture and stir well to combine. Remove the cooked salmon from the fridge and cut it into bite-size pieces. Gently stir the cooked salmon into the smoked salmon mixture, keeping the pieces as chunky as possible. Taste and adjust the seasoning with additional salt, pepper, and lemon juice, if needed.

Fold in the chopped dill and cilantro, then transfer the rillettes to a serving bowl or jar. Serve immediately, or preferably cover and refrigerate 6 hours or up to 3 days. Serve with sliced baguette or crackers.

Chouquettes with Warm Berries

bonappetit.com / Serves 8

Ingredients

Chouquettes

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into pieces 1 tablespoon granulated sugar ¼ teaspoon kosher salt 1 cup all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest 3 large eggs 2 tablespoons whole milk 4 tablespoons pearl or nib sugar

Berries

¼ cup sugar ¼ cup orange juice 2 cups mixed fresh (or frozen, thawed) berries (such as raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries) 6 ounces fresh strawberries, hulled, quartered (about 1 cup) 2 pints vanilla ice cream

Directions

Chouquettes: Preheat oven to 375 F. Bring butter, granulated sugar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a medium saucepan, stirring until butter is melted. Remove from heat, add flour all at once, and mix to combine.

Cook mixture over medium heat, stirring vigorously with a wooden spoon, until dough forms a ball and pulls away from sides of pan, about 2 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring vigorously, until a dry film forms on bottom and sides of pan and dough is no longer sticky, about 3 minutes longer. Immediately transfer dough to a large bowl and let cool 1 minute.

Mix in orange zest, then, using a wooden spoon, mix in eggs one at a time, incorporating fully between additions. Dough should be dense, sticky, and shiny.

Spoon heaping tablespoons of pâte à choux pastry onto 2 parchmentlined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (you should have about 24). Brush tops with milk and sprinkle generously with pearl sugar. Bake chouquettes until golden brown and doubled in size, 35–40 minutes.

DO AHEAD: Chouquettes can be baked 1 day ahead. Store tightly wrapped at room temperature. Reheat in a 300 F oven 8–10 minutes before using.

Berries: Just before serving, heat sugar and orange juice in a medium skillet over low heat, stirring to dissolve sugar, about 2 minutes. Add mixed berries and cook, shaking pan to coat (do not stir, it will break up fruit), until just warmed through, about 2 minutes. Remove skillet from heat, add strawberries, and shake pan to coat strawberries.

Split warm chouquettes and fill with vanilla ice cream. Serve with warm berries and currants, if desired.