Top Air Force Stories for March 16, 2012

Today's stories include:

Women's roles evolved from 'Lucy' to 'Murphy Brown' after World War II 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123294200

U.S., Turkish air forces complete Anatolian Falcon 2012 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123294238

SecAF statement on whistleblower reprisal investigation 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123294222

Fallen pilot 'has come home' 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123294199

Air Force Week in Photos 
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123294078



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America's Air Force... Integrity, Service, Excellence



Women's roles evolved from 'Lucy' to 'Murphy Brown' after World War II

by Martha Lockwood
Defense Media Activity

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- Editor's Note: This article is the second in a three-part series commemorating Women's History Month. This story deals with the contributions women made to the Air Force during the years following World War II up until shortly after the Gulf War. 

Within the time span it took for women in television to transform from the female stereotypes portrayed on "I Love Lucy" to the more modern, late-century version found on "Murphy Brown," women in the U.S. Air Force were making strides that far outpaced their Hollywood counterparts.

By the end of World War II, women were fully incorporated into the military, although still primarily limited to mostly clerical roles such as typists, clerks and mail sorters, and represented only about two percent of the force. Less than a year after the Air Force became its own service, President Harry Truman signed the Women's Armed Services Integration Act, accepting women as a permanent part of the military. It was the beginning of the Women's Air Force, and for the next 30 years would represent a separate, but equal part of the military.

During the Korean War (1950-53), the only Air Force women permitted to serve in the Korean battle zone were medical air evacuation nurses. Servicewomen who had joined the Reserves following World War II, were involuntarily recalled to active duty as Women in the Air Force (WAF). Together, with already in-service WAFs, the women carried out support roles at rear-echelon bases in Japan. They were air traffic controllers, weather observers, radar operators and photo interpreters. Nurses served stateside, and flight nurses served in the Korean theater.

By the end of the Korean War (1953), 12,800 WAF officers and enlisted women were serving
worldwide, and in 1955, Air Force nurses experienced a moment of turnabout when men were accepted into the Air Force Nurse Corps.

These events would prove to be a harbinger of women's emerging equality in all aspects of military service. Yet, it would take two more decades and service in another war to achieve parity.

The Vietnam War (1965-75) numbers reveal a different story than the Korean War. American women military serving in Southeast Asia numbered 7,000, with 600 to 800 reported to be WAFs. However, although the numbers may vary, it is more interesting to note the solid achievements and the expanding role of women in the military that evolved during that time of intense service.

No longer thought of only as nurses or medical evacuation personnel, WAFs also served in a variety of support staff assignments, in hospitals, with MASH Units, in service clubs, in headquarters offices, intelligence, and a in variety of personnel positions throughout Southeast Asia.

With the 1967 repeal of the two-percent cap on the number of women serving, and the lifting of the restriction on the highest grade women could achieve, the first of many glass ceilings was shattered.

Then, in 1968 the passage of Public Law 90-130 allowed women to enlist in the Air National Guard, and on campuses in 1969, Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps (AFROTC) opened to women.

Perhaps the most notable (to date) women's accomplishment came in 1971 when Jeanne M. Holm was promoted to brigadier general. She was the first female airman to reach that rank. It was an achievement that would serve as inspiration for women throughout the WAFs for two years, until 1973, when she was promoted to major general.

It was that same year, 1973, that the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Air Force Lt. Sharon Frontiero and changed military life forever. The Supreme Court ruled unconstitutional the inequities in benefits for the dependents of military women. Until then, military women with dependents were not authorized housing, nor were their dependents eligible for the benefits and privileges afforded the dependents of male military members, such as medical, commissary and post exchange benefits.

By the end of the Vietnam War (1975) the Department of Defense had reversed policies and provided pregnant women with the option of electing discharge or remaining on active duty. Previous policies had required women to be discharged if they became pregnant or if they adopted a child.

By the conclusion of the WAF program (1976) when women were accepted into the Air Force on an equal basis with men, women were laying a solid groundwork for attaining leadership positions and equal opportunities.

It was that year--our country's bicentennial--more than 200 years since women first served on the battlefield of the American Revolution as nurses, water bearers, cooks, laundresses and saboteurs--that women were admitted to the service academies.

After that, the sky was the limit. In 1976, the Air Force selected the first woman reservist for the undergraduate pilot training program, and the Air Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) assigned the first woman aircrew member to alert duty.

In 1980, the first women graduate from the service academies, and just two years after that (1982) the Air Force selects the first woman aviator for Test Pilot School.

Six Air Force women served as pilots, copilots and boom operators on the KC-135 and KC-10 tankers that refueled FB-111s during the raid on Libya in 1986.

That year was a banner year academically for women as, for the first time in history, the Air Force Academy's top graduate is a woman.

The War in the Persian Gulf (1990-91) deployed 40,000 American military women during Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. And at the end of that war, the Air Force Reserve selects its first woman senior advisor and Congress repeals laws banning women from flying in combat.

It wasn't until 1993 that women stood on the threshold of space. In that year, Brig. Gen. Susan J. Helms (then Maj. Helms) a member of the first class of the U. S. Air Force Academy ('80) to graduate women, became the first American military woman in space as part of the Space Shuttle Endeavor team.

By then, the Civil War had been over for 125 years and our nation had seen, endured, and survived two World Wars, the riots of the 60s, the war protests of the 70s, and the Space Shuttle Challenger setback of the 80s.

The best was yet to come.

(Martha Lockwood is the chief of Air Force Information Products for the Defense Media Activity)


U.S., Turkish air forces complete Anatolian Falcon 2012

by Staff Sgt. Daryl Knee
Anatolian Falcon 2012 Public Affairs

KONYA, Turkey (AFNS) -- Anatolian Falcon 2012, a bilateral training exercise between the Turkish and U.S. air forces, ended here March 16.

The exercise was designed to strengthen military interoperability between the two nations and test the air forces' abilities to conduct a variety of air missions to include interdiction, attack, air superiority, defense suppression, airlift, air refueling and reconnaissance.

"There are a lot of successes we had here besides just the general exchange of tactics," said Lt. Col. Paul Murray, the 480th Fighter Squadron commander. "Probably the most important success we've had toward interoperability is the personal relationships we've made. Those personal relationships are the key to interoperability."

Murray said Turkey is one of the strongest allies the U.S. has in the region. U.S. Air Forces in Europe is committed to building longstanding relationships with nations like Turkey, and the trust of the two NATO partners allows for these mass training opportunities. The bonds are further strengthened by sharing specific military tactics.

The 480th FS is the only unit in USAFE whose specialty is the suppression of enemy air defenses. The squadron enhances regional stability by working and training with the Turkish air force in that combat skill.

"That skillset is an important one we bring to the joint fight, combined fight and coalition fight," Murray said. "That was what we were able to focus on here. But for the most part, every mission that we could be called on to do for the combatant commander, we got to practice here."

The pilots' skills with air-to-air and suppression of enemy air defenses missions had deteriorated from the lapse in practice during a deployment to Iraq from April to October 2011, squadron officials said. The mission of their deployment focused on just one combat facet: close air support.

The squadron began rebuilding their other skillsets upon returning to Germany in October. However, there are only a finite number of aircraft available to train with or against for air-to-air and suppression of enemy air defenses missions.

Lt. Col. Aaron Piepkorn, the 480th FS director of operations, called the joint training a graduate-level exercise for requalification and reconstitution.

"We've used building blocks to get to where we are now," Piepkorn said of the training within the squadron before joining the Turks for AF12. "It was crawl, walk and run to get current. Now, we're more proficient in those missions as tested by the more complex scenarios here.

"This exercise was the top of our training," he continued. "We got to employ those skillsets against large forces, and now we're fully deployable should we need to go."

SecAF statement on whistleblower reprisal investigation

WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- "We have reviewed the Office of Special Counsel's report of investigation of allegations of reprisals taken against whistleblowers at Air Force Mortuary Affairs Operation (AFMAO) Center, Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. As a result, disciplinary proceedings have been initiated and we expect to have all decisions complete by mid- to late-April.

"The Air Force will not tolerate wrongdoing, especially prohibited personnel practices, by employees. We continue to work closely with the Office of Special Counsel in addressing this issue.

"We are reviewing all training materials with supervisors and employees to ensure people understand the rights of whistleblowers. We are committed to a workplace climate that makes individuals feel confident that they can raise any concerns they may have, that those concerns will be taken seriously, and that those raising the concerns will be treated with respect and appreciation. The individuals who reported the allegations in this matter performed an important service to the Air Force and the Nation. They continue in their positions at AFMAO; the Air Force is working cooperatively with OSC to make appropriate corrections to their records.

"In the meantime, we are implementing the recommendations of the Defense Health Board subcommittee to assure the very highest standard of care for our Fallen and their families. We are proud of the employees at AFMAO and their continued commitment to this mission."


Fallen pilot 'has come home'

by Don Branum
Air Force Academy Public Affairs

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. (AFNS) -- The pilot of a U-28A aircraft that crashed near Camp Lemonnier, Djibouti, on Feb. 18 was laid to rest at the Air Force Academy Cemetery on March 12.

Capt. Ryan Hall, 30, was a native of Colorado Springs and the son of 1970 Academy graduate Dennis Hall.

"By the size of the turnout, you can see Ryan touched the lives of everyone he met," the elder Hall said. "People here traveled from as far away as Guam and Afghanistan."

Hall thanked Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, the Academy superintendent, for approving the family's request to lay Ryan to rest in the Hall family plot at the cemetery. He also thanked Colorado Gov. John Hickenlooper for directing all state agencies to fly their flags at half-staff in Ryan's honor.

"Ryan has come home," Hall said. "While there will be moments of sadness, today is a day of celebration, because we love him and we hope that we will see him again in Paradise."

Hall was assigned to the 319th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Fla. His deployment to Djibouti in support of Operation Enduring Freedom was his seventh since joining the Air Force in 2004.

"Hall's skill as a pilot, leadership as an officer and compassion as a friend left an indelible mark on all of us," said Lt. Col. Patrick Daley, the 319th SOS commander, during a memorial ceremony at Hurlburt Field on Feb. 28. "A true quiet professional, Ryan's teaching groomed a whole generation of air commandos."

Hall "knew the risks of what he was doing, but he was not afraid of failure. That's what made him great," said Rev. Philip Erlander, who conducted the ceremony along with Chaplain (Capt.) Kyle Hundley, one of the Academy's chaplains.

He was also a devout Lutheran, Erlander said. The last text message he had sent to one of his brothers included a reference to Acts 20:24. His girlfriend, Marianne Vicente, found the same verse on a handwritten note between his bed and nightstand shortly after his death.

Hall is survived by his parents, Dennis and Kliffa Hall; his brothers, Brandon and Damon, and his grandmothers, Jean Hall and Nayda Nunn. He was one of four Airmen who died in the Feb. 18 U-28 accident. Also killed were Capt. Nicholas Whitlock, 1st Lt. Justin Wilkens and Senior Airman Julian Scholten. All four were assigned to Hurlburt Field's 1st Special Operations Wing.

Air Force Week in Photos

FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- This week's photos feature Airmen around the globe involved in activities supporting expeditionary operations and defending America. This weekly feature showcases the men and women of the Air Force.

View the slideshow.