Page 2 - March ARB Beacon 3-11-16

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Senior Airman Russell McMillan

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WKH QG$LU 0RELOLW\ :LQJ 7KLV Air Force Reserve Command Public Affairs In 1999, Hopper entered active duty and in battle with an Iraqi Republican Guard
FLYLOLDQHQWHUSULVH$LU)RUFHQHZV- was selected to design and implement a new unit.
SDSHULVDQDXWKRUL]HGSXEOLFDWLRQ ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. pilot screening program, ensuring the Air
IRU HPSOR\HHV DQG PHPEHUV RI (AFNS) -- March is National Women’s His- Force a qualified pool of candidates ready U.S. ground forces later told Hopper that
86PLOLWDU\VHUYLFHVUHWLUHHVDQG tory Month and this year’s theme is “Work- for flight training. She graduated Under- when her bombs accurately hit their mark,
IDPLO\PHPEHUV&RQWHQWVDUHQRW ing to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring graduate Pilot Training in April 2000 and the Iraqi army retreated from the fight. For
QHFHVVDULO\ WKH RI¿FLDO YLHZV RI Women in Public Service and Government.” was selected to fly the F-16, becoming one her service in Operation Iraqi Freedom, she
RUHQGRUVHGE\WKH86*RYHUQ- of only two African-American females and was awarded the Air Medal (third oak leaf
PHQWWKH'HSDUWPHQWRI'HIHQVH Women’s History Month started as a na- 50 total female fighter pilots in the Air Force cluster), the Aerial Achievement Medal, and
RUWKH'HSDUWPHQWRIWKH$LU)RUFH tional celebration in 1981, when Congress at that time. the Combat Action Medal.
authorized the president to proclaim the
7KH DSSHDUDQFH RI DGYHUWLV- week beginning March 7, 1982, as Women’s Upon completion of F-16 training, Hop- For her historic contributions to the mili-
LQJ LQ WKLV QHZVSDSHU LQFOXGLQJ History Week. per was assigned to the 524th Fighter Squad- tary and women in aviation, Good House-
LQVHUWVRUVXSSOHPHQWVGRHVQRW ron, Cannon AFB, New Mexico. Following keeping magazine named Hopper as one of
FRQVWLWXWH HQGRUVHPHQW RI WKH In 1987, Congress designated the month the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, Hopper the 2004 “Outstanding Woman in Govern-
SURGXFWV RU VHUYLFHV E\ WKH 'H- of March 1987 as Women’s History Month. flew numerous combat air patrol missions in ment.” She was additionally recognized by
SDUWPHQWRI'HIHQVHWKH'HSDUW- Since 1995, Presidents Bill Clinton, George support of Operation Noble Eagle protect- Glamour magazine, Ebony magazine, and
ment of the Air Force or Aerotech W. Bush and Barack Obama have issued a ing the U.S. president and critical infrastruc- the 700 Club.
1HZVDQG5HYLHZ,QF series of annual proclamations designating ture. In 2002-2003, she deployed to Kuwait
the month of March as Women’s History supporting Operations Southern Watch and After her first assignment, Hopper served
(YHU\WKLQJ DGYHUWLVHG LQ WKLV Iraqi Freedom. four years at Luke AFB, Arizona, as an
QHZVSDSHU VKDOO EH PDGH DYDLO- Throughout the month, Air Force Re- F-16 instructor pilot and separated from the
able for purchase, use or patron- serve Command will feature Air Force Re- During those operations, Hopper flew active-duty Air Force in 2008 with almost
DJHZLWKRXWUHJDUGWRUDFHFRORU serve women whose contributions to the more than 50 combat missions and became 1,000 hours in the F-16.
religion, sex, national origin, age, military and community pay homage to this the first African-American female fighter
PDULWDO VWDWXV SK\VLFDO KDQGL- year’s theme. pilot to fight in a major war. Today, Hopper balances a busy sched-
FDS SROLWLFDO DI¿OLDWLRQ RU DQ\ ule as a full-time mother of three, mili-
other non-merit factor of the pur- Today’s Air Force Reserve honoree is While on a combat mission during one of tary spouse, and Air Force Reserve T-38
chaser, user or patron. Maj. Christina “Thumper” Hopper, a T-38 the worst sandstorms in recorded Iraqi his- instructor pilot, where she trains, in-
instructor pilot with the 5th Flying Training tory, Hopper’s aircraft was struck by light- structs and mentors the next generation
(GLWRULDOFRQWHQWLVHGLWHGSUH- Squadron in Vance Air Force Base, Okla- ning, disabling her hostile threat warning of fighter and bomber pilots. In 2015, she
SDUHG DQG SURYLGHG E\ WKH VWDII homa. system. Despite possible danger, her forma- launched “Vance Supergirls,” a mentor-
RI WKH QG $LU 0RELOLW\ :LQJ tion continued to the target and completed ship group for female aviators. Through
3XEOLF$IIDLUV RI¿FH DW 0DUFK$LU Career highlights: Hopper graduated the mission successfully. The bombs she this group, Hopper forged lines of com-
5HVHUYH %DVH $OO SKRWRJUDSKV with honors and received her commission as dropped that night impacted a road intersec- munication between female instructors
LQWKH%HDFRQDUH$LU)RUFHSKR- the distinguished graduate of the Air Force tion where U.S. Army forces were engaged and students to encourage the success of
WRV XQOHVV RWKHUZLVH VWDWHG )RU Reserve Officer Training Corps Program at future female pilots.
DGYHUWLVLQJ FRQWDFW$HURWHFK GL- the University of Texas, Austin in May 1998.
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