Neil Alden Armstrong as a Leader

Neil Alden Armstrong was the first person to ever walk on the moon. He is a fundamental part of history, as he was the hero that gave hope to the United States during the Cold War. However, not only was Armstrong a hero, he was an overly qualified and outstanding leader. His ability and intelligence allowed him to amaze his peers. Graduating from Purdue University with a degree in aeronautical engineering, he started out as an experimental test pilot for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Before doing so however, he served his country in the Korean War as a member of the U.S. Navy. He flew 78 missions and was awarded many medals and stars for his service. After receiving his education, he became an astronaut and proceeded to cultivate more experiences into his career. He became accustomed to space missions, and even flew around the moon before actually thinking of even stepping on it. His education and experiences allowed him to be the best possible candidate for leadership in the Apollo 11 mission. His passion for his career also enabled him to succeed while obtaining joy for the achievements he contributed to mankind. The love of air and space took him beyond the hardships of war and success, and as a result, made him into the exceptional person we know today. Without his passion, there would be little interest regarding the leadership roles he took upon himself throughout his entire life. Lastly, his humbleness to his achievements gave him the charisma that attracted and elicited respect. He did not do many interviews to try to gain fame or attention. In fact, he avoided these kinds of activities that would bring this attention upon himself, unlike many of his astronaut peers. According to his first wife, Janet Armstrong, “He [felt] guilty that he got all the acclaim for an effort of tens of thousands of people.” This humility is what earned him the position of first in command onboard the Apollo 11 spacecraft, as well as influencing the