Air Force women's symposium kicks off

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Julie Weckerlein
  • Secretary of the Air Force Public Affairs
SPRINGFIELD, Va. (AFPN) --  The Air Force Women's Heritage to Horizons Training Symposium kicked off here Oct. 31with about 600 Airmen from around the globe in attendance.

For the next three days, attendees will sit in on various forums and discussions, ranging in topics from professional development to women in combat. Guest speakers include both retired and active-duty Air Force women.

"This symposium is one of the many events over the past year recognizing and celebrating the Air Force's 60th anniversary as a separate military service," said Lt. Gen. Stephen Lorenz, Air University commander, in a release to attendees. "Over the next few days, we'll pay special tribute to the many women who've been integral to fighting and winning our nation's conflicts and preserving her freedom."

The symposium began with a speech given by retired Brig. Gen. Wilma Vaught, who serves as president for the Women in Military Service for America Memorial Foundation, and who joined the Air Force in 1957. She talked about the changes made throughout the years that allowed women to become more integrated into the service.

"There was a time when servicewomen who married a civilian man couldn't get the same privileges as the men married to civilian women," she said. "The husbands couldn't get an identification card unless they were disabled or declared mentally incompetent."

She said that changed in 1973 when a brave 23-year-old Air Force first lieutenant challenged statues that allowed a married serviceman to qualify for higher housing benefits even if his wife was not dependent on his income, while requiring a married servicewoman to prove her husband's dependence before receiving the same benefit. The Supreme Court voted 8-1 to overturn the law.

"There are still barriers for women," General Vaught said, "but they are going away."

After her speech, a panel was introduced, comprising General Vaught; retired Col. Regina Aune, who is the only female to receive the Cheney Award for her actions in Vietnam during Operation Babylift; retired Chief Master Sgt. Dottie Holmes, the first woman to retire with 30 years of "all Air Force" while others started with the Women's Army Corps; retired Senior Master Sgt. Terri Picarro, one of only 4,000 enlisted women to be part of the WAF corps at any given time while the WAF was in existence; and Mrs. Margaret Ringenberg, who was called to be a Women's Air Force Service Pilot in 1943.

All of them spoke of their time in uniform, and answered questions presented by the audience. Questions ranged from mentorship advice to juggling family and career to dealing with sexism in the office. Each question was answered with a bit of history thrown in.

"My generation invented the wheel," said Chief Holmes, "but now you are responsible for keeping it going." 

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