Page 25 - Appendix A

1991 Black Female SUPT student

What would you say was the percentage of blacks was in your training class?

1/27; same for women

Describe how the number of minorities in your pilot training environment compared to your
high school, college and home environment (growing up).

About the same as college and high school, but not home as I grew up in a predominantly Black
neighborhood.

If there was a significant difference describe what impact it had (if any) on your success in
training and why?

First, I had already been in the service for five years, so the racial make-up was nothing new to
me. My educational experiences made being around Whites a non-issue for me as well. My first
assignment in the Air Force was in flight test—literally an all-White, all-male enclave—and that

prepared me. The biggest challenge is gender, in my opinion. I already knew the Tuskegee
Airmen had paved the way for Blacks, but some male instructors were not ready for women
who flew well.

In your opinion, does it make a difference, regarding your success, how many other black
pilots are going through training at the same time as you? Why or why not?

No, but it’s sure nice. I was a captain, so I always checked up on the Black students who I
noticed in training. I remember this one brother, “Everything’s fine,” all the time. One week I
saw him, stopping him before he headed outside to ask how things were going; he was about to
fly his “89” ride which, if he failed, would eliminate him from the program. I had just seen him

not ten days earlier, and all was well, supposedly. He said he was too embarrassed to say
anything, but on the eve of an 89, it’s a bit too late for help because you’re either going to get a
reprieve or pack for home. He failed, and I never saw him again.

I will also say it was nice to see Black instructor pilots (I can think of five at my base). There
were no Black women instructors, but the base had three or four women instructors that I can
recall (out of about 200). The guys definitely checked on me, but no women did; I saw it as my
duty, being a senior-ranking student, to check on all Black students coming behind me, and I did
to the best of my ability.

In your opinion, does it make a difference what the racial demographic of your training cadre
or leadership team is? Why or why not? Please share any specific examples from your

experience?