Women pilots who fly Air Force fighters and bombers have made their mark and earned respect.

USAF photo by SSgt. William Greer

The Quiet Pioneers

AJA, Combo, Spyce, Shooter, Shock: They’re all call signs of mission- Bqualified fighter and bomber pilots, and the only unusual thing about them is that these monikers of warrior-group bonding belong to women. April 2003 will mark 10 years since the Air Force changed its policy to permit women to take up combat assignments as fighter and bomber pilots. Since then, dozens of female officers have completed rigorous training to become proficient in flying fighters and bombers. Critics predicted they’d never integrate smoothly. Two women pilots By Rebecca Grant spurred negative attention early on. Media interest surged when Navy F-14 pilot Lt. Kara S. Hultgreen died in a carrier landing in October 1994. Accusations of improper Navy training procedures followed. Air Force B-52

34 AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2002 pilot 1st Lt. Kelly J. Flinn made Aspin’s 1993 decision came just headlines in 1997 when she was dis- in time for Flynn. As a highly skilled charged from the Air Force for dis- young female pilot, Flynn’s next ciplinary issues. Commentators la- option after the FAIP assignment beled the issue of women in the most likely would have been to KC- cockpit as social engineering and 10s, the cream of the crop of flying predicted readiness would suffer. assignments outside the fighter and Meanwhile, from Stateside train- bomber communities. Tanker and ing bases to deployed locations all airlift crews welcomed an earlier over the world, the cadre of female generation of women such as Col. fighter and bomber pilots flour- Pamela A. Melroy, commissioned in ished. 1983, who flew KC-10s in Desert Storm and then moved on to Air Lifting the Ban Force Test Pilot School and from Congress removed the legal ban there to NASA, where she is an as- on women in combat aircraft by pass- tronaut with two shuttle missions ing Public Law 102-190 in Decem- under her belt. ber 1991. But Department of De- The Air Force looked back over fense policy still prohibited women the records of two years’ worth of from taking up combat aircraft as- Undergraduate Pilot Training classes signments. Secretary of Defense Les to find women whose class rankings Aspin lifted the policy ban on April would have qualified them to select 28, 1993. a fighter or bomber at the time they The Air Force had already been graduated. The hunt also factored in contemplating how to respond, and how many fighter and bomber slots nothing brought the matter to a head were available to each class, some- more clearly than the case of a young times a number as low as one. Based lieutenant named Jeannie M. Flynn. on these criteria, the Air Force iden- Flynn was commissioned through tified three pilots who would have ROTC and received a master’s de- been sent to fighters or bombers had gree in aerospace engineering be- the ban not been still in place. These fore heading off to pilot training. included Flynn and thenÐCapt. Mar- Flynn had graduated first in her Un- tha McSally. By the end of 1993, Nearly 10 years ago, USAF changed its policy to permit female fighter dergraduate Pilot Training class in seven women were in training to fly and bomber combat pilots. The 1992. Air Force rules called for newly fighters. measure of merit is performance. minted pilots to select their weapon system based on merit and cockpit Women Pilots in Combat availability. The early 1990s were Flynn went to four weeks of fighter the days of banked pilots and dwin- lead-in training in T-38s and on to dling choices for assignments. Typi- the schoolhouse for F-15E training, cal pilot training classes competed then at Luke AFB, Ariz. In February for one or two fighter seats. Flynn 1994, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. earned the right to choose first, and Merrill A. McPeak introduced Flynn she selected the plum: an F-15E as- to the press as the Air Force’s first signment. mission-qualified female fighter pi- With the policy restriction still in lot. place, the Air Force could not com- “She didn’t ask for anything from ply and sent Flynn to be a First As- anybody,” said McPeak. “Nobody signment Instructor Pilot, teaching gave her anything, and she went right students to fly the T-38. Meanwhile, through that course just like every- Flynn’s case wound its way through body else. Everybody in the squad- the bureaucracy, ultimately to be ron had very high respect for her. reviewed by Air Force Secretary And in her opinion, the F-15E is the Donald B. Rice, who found his hands world’s greatest airplane.” tied by Pentagon policy. Flynn and the F-15E were indeed Flynn’s case pointed out the dis- a good match. She went on to log crepancy between the exclusion more than 2,000 hours in the F-15E policy and the Air Force’s stan- by the end of 2002, including 200 dards. Fighter pilots are trained, hours of combat time in Operation not born. Flynn made the grade by Allied Force. She was the first fe- objective standards but found her male fighter pilot to graduate from options limited by a policy sug- the USAF Weapons School at Nellis gesting women would get in over AFB, Nev., and is currently assigned their heads. as an F-15E instructor at the school—

AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2002 35 once again, the first woman to hold A. “Combo” Weeks, who is now an Weeks recalled thenÐCapt. Jeannie that post. F-15C pilot with more than 700 hours Flynn coming to the academy to ad- By 1994 the Air Force had seven at the 94th Fighter Squadron at Lang- dress the cadets. At Undergraduate female fighter pilots—including ley AFB, Va. Weeks had two things Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, Tex., Flynn—and two bomber pilots. in common with legions of fighter “it was the exact normal pilot train- In 1995, McSally became the first pilots before her. She came from a ing experience for anybody,” said Air Force female pilot to fly a com- military family, and her determina- Weeks. Her class of 30 started out bat aircraft into enemy territory— tion to fly sprouted early. with five women. One washed out, the no-fly zone mission over Iraq. “My father was a master sergeant and Weeks was the only one selected McSally was an athletic Air Force in the Air Force, so I grew up in it,” to split to the fighterÐbomber track Academy graduate who’d had to get Weeks explained in a recent inter- in T-38s. Once on the track, Weeks a waiver to fly because at five feet view. “We were stationed in [RAF] found it to be smooth sailing. three inches she was one inch under Lakenheath [UK]. When I was about “There was no ‘oh gosh, a girl’s the regulation height. She made Air five years old, and we were flying coming,’ ” she said. Then at Tyndall, Force history flying the A-10. back from England on a KC-135, we “I actually had as one of my instruc- While the Air Force worked women refueled F-15s over the Atlantic. I tor pilots the very first female F-15C into the fighter and bomber squad- decided I had to do that.” pilot [then–Capt. Maria “Baja” Ran- rons with few hiccups, the numbers Her parents were skeptical at first. dolph], so it wasn’t a big deal at all.” of women in combat cockpits did not “I was just patted on the back, ‘Girls grow fast. In 1998, there were still don’t do that,’ ” said Weeks. “And I A B-1B Pilot only eight bomber pilots and 25 just kept saying, ‘Nope, I’m gonna, Capt. Kimberly Dawn Monroe, a fighter pilots, a tiny fraction of the I’m gonna, I’m gonna.’” Soon her B-1 pilot, had a story typical of this overall force. But the numbers were parents were “definitely supportive new generation. “I was always inter- on the rise. Fueled by accessions of it. Initially, they’re like, sure she’ll ested in flying, ever since I was about from the Air Force Academy, a new change 20 times; next week she’s five years old,” Monroe said. Flying group of women who’d never expe- going to want to be a hairdresser. first captivated her on an airline flight rienced the combat exclusion ban But I didn’t.” to visit her grandparents. “I thought were making it through Undergradu- The desire stayed and in junior I always wanted to be a stewardess, ate Pilot Training with high marks. high school, Weeks asked a startled but once I got into high school, they Three Air Force female combat guidance counselor for a book on the were offering a ground school course pilots agreed—a little reluctantly— Air Force Academy and never looked for a private pilot’s license for free, to be interviewed for this story. The back. Years later at Tyndall AFB, and so that really interested me,” she big news? They love flying. They Fla., when “I went solo to the tanker, said. “I took that, and then my grand- love the Air Force. They talk just my life had come full circle,” she parents gave me my flying lessons like the guys. said. “Rather than being the five- as a graduation present. I got my year-old little girl who was laying in private pilot’s license right out of An F-15C Pilot the boom watching them refuel the high school.” “Since I went to the academy, I F-15s, I was now the fighter pilot in Monroe’s college counselor steered know a lot of female fighter pilots,” the F-15 getting refueled.” her toward the Air Force. “When I said 1997 graduate Capt. Samantha There were role models to follow. first started, I didn’t even know what ROTC was,” explained Monroe. “I thought I’d let them pay for college, then once I got out, maybe join the airlines somewhere down the road, but getting involved in ROTC and the Air Force way of life, I actually found out I love it.” Monroe gradu- ated from Angelo State University in Texas in 1996, attended UPT at USAF photo by SSgt. William Greer Laughlin, and went from the T-38 to the B-1 schoolhouse at Dyess Air Force Base, also in Texas. “I’m a west Texas home girl,” Monroe con- firmed. Why the B-1? “I started to make a decision that I liked the crew mentality,” she said. “At that point in time, we were able to deploy from home and do long sorties, and then come right back. The B-1 sounded the best option for me.”

An F-15E crew from RAF Lakenheath, UK, prepares to take off on a mission An EC-130 Pilot during Operation Enduring Freedom. Some women pilots also patrol the no-fly Capt. Kristin Goodwin, now a B-2 zones over Iraq. pilot at Whiteman AFB, Mo., had a

36 AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2002 slightly different experience start- ing out in the EC-130 community. Goodwin graduated from USAFA in 1993 and went to pilot training in 1994. She said she remembered hear- ing about the Air Force opening cock- pits to women, but “being young and excited to go to pilot training, I wasn’t following that as closely.” USAF photo by SSgt. Greg L. Davis Goodwin’s dream was special op- erations. “I heard things were open- ing,” she said, “but then I still found out that we weren’t allowed to fly MC-130s, which is what I wanted to fly. I wanted to do special ops.” Goodwin made up for it with an assignment to the EC-130s at DavisÐ Monthan AFB, Ariz. The tour later included Airborne Battlefield Com- mand and Control Center aircraft missions over Bosnia and flying the Lt. Col. Martha McSally in 1995 became the first woman to pilot a combat EC-130 for special operations “in aircraft into hostile military airspace. She flew an A-10 attack aircraft, such as places I can’t talk about,” she said. the one above, into the no-fly zone over Iraq. As a young copilot, brand new to the squadron, her place on a dedicated right there. It was kind of cool be- lush and green, with lakes and riv- EC-130 crew raised questions when cause I saw it, and I got to call it.” ers—so some parts are actually very “the issue came up that I was a Later on that same deployment, beautiful.” woman.” Women weren’t part of the Weeks and her flight lead “actually Monroe and the three others in her special operations arena. As Goodwin had somebody who was crossing the crew swung into the new rhythm of recalled, “My squadron northern no-fly zone,” she said. “We providing massed, precision Joint at the time was hesitant to approve got to commit out on that Iraqi plane, Direct Attack Munition strikes on that, and this captain at the time and that was awesome because you’re call. “They gave us as much gas as fought for me, because I was only a going to do the job you trained for we could take to hold up in the skies lieutenant and he said he wanted me every single day. A big part of our for as long as we can,” she said. “We and stuck by his guns, and the com- life is always being in the right place were just up there waiting for the mander finally gave in and let me be at the right time.” They did not get call.” She added, “Once they had a on the crew.” authority to shoot, but the chance to target, they would just pass it off to The bottom line was about perfor- commit was exciting: “For an F-15C us and then we would do the job mance, not gender. “They were look- pilot that doesn’t come about too accordingly.” ing for a pilot,” commented Goodwin. often,” Weeks said. The weapon of choice was JDAM. “That’s how it’s been for me ever “It’s good that it kind of becomes “You feel better shacking your tar- since, that I’ve been treated as a a little routine and monotonous,” gets anyway with that sort of a pilot, not necessarily as just some Weeks summed up the no-fly zone weapon,” Monroe said. woman.” experience. Over the past year, she She recalled that her first combat also flew combat missions in US mission was, “of course, a little scary” On to Combat skies as part of Operation Noble but added that she was eager for it. Experience made the women com- Eagle. “We were well-trained and well-pre- bat pilots. Weeks first logged com- Monroe logged 18 combat mis- pared, so I was kind of anxious and bat time in Operation Northern sions in Operation Enduring Free- ready to go and actually apply what Watch. She had been in the squadron dom from January to May 2002. I’ve learned to do the mission and do about six months and had about 150 Deployed with the B-1 to a base in it well.” Long missions were famil- hours in the F-15C when she de- the Middle East, she lived in a tent iar fare in the B-1, and she described ployed to Turkey. “Definitely, the with five other female officers. Long the endless aerial refuelings as “defi- first day that I taxied out in a jet, training missions in the B-1 and a nitely good training.” with live missiles, the young lieu- deployment with Aerospace Expe- Like Weeks and Monroe, Goodwin tenant, it was a big deal,” said Weeks. ditionary Force 4 a year earlier ac- found worldwide deployments rou- “But I understand what my job is, customed her to the expeditionary tine in Air Force life. Her squadron and I’m proud to do my job.” way of life. flew EC-130H Compass Call aircraft No-fly-zone patrol duty had its Flying over Afghanistan itself was used for communications jamming memorable moments. “There was a surprise. “I thought it would look and information warfare. “We would some triple A that was shot at us,” like the planet Mars or something,” get called constantly,” Goodwin said. recalled Weeks. She saw “a big black said Monroe. “The terrain is vary- “You always had to be ready to go.” airburst off my left wing. It was ing—it’s got desert, and then moun- At a stopover for a joint exercise lower in altitude, so I wasn’t like tains, and then some parts are really in Shaikh Isa, Bahrain, she was the

AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2002 37 “female pilot” issues, as was done in the early 1990s. Statistically, how- ever, they remain scarce. The Air Force counted 15 female bomber pilots and 47 female fighter pilots in the year 2002, out of a total of 462 active duty female pilots in all air- craft and 12,177 active duty male pilots. Thus, female pilots make up USAF photo by SMSgt. Dennis L. Brambl only 3.7 percent of all USAF pilots, while women officers account for 17.8 percent of the force. The trends do not point to a dramatic upswing anytime soon. Women serving today have no major complaints. Weeks said that “99.99 times out of 100” she re- ceives the same level of support from and peers that her male counterparts within the squadron Lt. Kristin Bass, the 188th Fighter Wing’s first female combat pilot, is strapped receive. She is treated as an equal, into her F-16C by crew chief TSgt. Kevin Jones. Women comprise less than although she joked that “people on four percent of all USAF pilots. the radios still say sir” and added, “That’s quite alright. I don’t get ex- only female officer deployed there Goodwin and a fellow female pi- cited.” Goodwin noted she is proud at the time. “That wasn’t a problem lot were the first two women se- to be part of the 325th Bomb Squad- at all,” Goodwin said. “It was just lected to fly the B-2 when they ar- ron, which is named “The Cavemen.” interesting. It was more educational, rived at Whiteman in June 2001. What does the future hold for these me talking to the local guys and let- Goodwin remembered she wanted to pilots? Flying—and more flying. “I ting them know that, hey, I’m just a put her best foot forward. She is now would love to stay in 20 years and pilot just like anybody else.” mission-qualified in the B-2 with then be a career officer,” said Weeks. Later she was loaned to the 42nd the designator “Spirit 279,” marking “That’s always been my goal.” B-1 Air Control Squadron to fly the her entry into the elite ranks of B-2 pilot Monroe said, “Right now, I’m ABCCC on a deployment to Bosnia. pilots. “I really am excited still even starting instructor school and I’ll “It was something that was ever- after a year and really honored to be upgrade to instructor hopefully by changing and you just had to kind here,” Goodwin said. “Every time I the end of the year.” of be on top it, just ready for any- get to fly I can’t believe it.” At Whiteman, Goodwin echoed the thing,” she said of those missions. Some adjustments have been nec- same goals. She said, “I’m really in One vivid memory was shutting essary. In the fall of 2001, McSally, the moment and I just want to make down an engine in flight, with now a lieutenant , attracted sure that I do my job right, and I weather closing in. Goodwin noted widespread support for her success- hope to be an instructor in this plat- that inside the area of responsibil- ful fight to overturn the policy re- form and become more of an expert ity she was faced with a lot of chal- quiring US military women to wear in it.” lenging decisions and added, “I had the head-to-toe Muslim abaya when The occasional commentator may an amazing crew.” on Saudi streets. Republican Sen. still rail against women who fly in Out of the four years she was sta- Bob Smith of New Hampshire said combat, but the reality is the Air tioned at DavisÐMonthan, Goodwin of McSally’s case: “What makes this Force’s female combat pilots are quipped, “I feel like I was deployed particularly bizarre is that we are seasoned professionals, serving their for two years.” The combat-oriented waging a war in Afghanistan to re- country well. By relying on high EC-130 and ABCCC missions left move those abayas, and the very sol- training standards and shunning the her with a taste for more. Following diers who are conducting that war limelight, the Air Force has created two years at , Goodwin have to cover up.” a warrior environment regardless of was accepted to train as a B-2 pilot. Today, women combat pilots are a gender. Asked if she’d ever experi- “Looking at the B-2, it was a mis- fact of life. The Air Force deputy enced bias as a woman pilot, Mon- sion that was very different than any- chief of staff for personnel no longer roe answered succinctly: “Not in- thing I’ve done so far,” Goodwin assigns an action officer to track side the Air Force.” ■ explained. “It brought in weapons, weaponeering, dropping bombs, and just a different platform, a different Rebecca Grant is a contributing editor of Air Force Magazine. She is presi- dent of IRIS Independent Research in Washington, D.C., and has worked for community.” She was also enticed RAND, the Secretary of the Air Force, and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force. by the chance to fly T-38s. “Flying Grant is a fellow of the Eaker Institute for Aerospace Concepts, the public two planes, I found that very invit- policy and research arm of the Air Force Association’s Aerospace Education ing,” she said. (B-2 pilots fly T-38s Foundation. Her most recent article, “An Air War Like No Other,” appeared in to maintain proficiency.) the November 2002 issue.

38 AIR FORCE Magazine / December 2002