Page 5 - FF Spring 2022 Final

Page 5

Alumni Spotlights

Since the first cadets entered the Academy in 1955, more than 450 individuals, military or civilian, have taught in the Department of His-
tory. A few less than 100 have now passed away. Some brought distinctive or unusual experiences with them to Fairchild Hall. Many
others have had distinguished careers in the Air Force, in other government agencies, and in education. In The Falcon Footnote we plan
to highlight many of these stories.

Caine Named AOG Honorary Member

Retired Brigadier General ford University alumnus as an
Philip Caine, who taught Honorary Member, recogniz-
history during four tours in ing “outstanding and conspicu-
DFH (1963-64, 66-69, 70-77, ous service to the Air Force
78-80) before becoming the and/or the Air Force Acade-
first Permanent Professor my.” Faculty colleagues and
under the commandant as the students of General Caine will
deputy commandant for Mili- want to watch the video of the
tary Instruction, recently re- ceremony, which included a
ceived a rare honor. slide show, a fine tribute by
Phil’s daughter Virginia Caine
The USAFA Association ’80, the award, and his own
of Graduates named the Uni- remarks – a capsule history of
versity of Denver and Stan- the Academy.

Juanita Walton, DFH Trailblazer

course, without orders and pa- degree in history from her What does she recall as the
perwork! No aircraft flies a alma mater, she taught highlights of her career?
mission without the lubrication American and World history Helping other women succeed
of manuals and tech orders! courses from 1974 to 1976. in the mostly male Air Force.
That last year saw some ma- Assuring that the commanders
She was assigned to jor changes in the status of of four different wings need
McCoy AFB, Florida, Westov- women. The Air Force end- not worry about administra-
er AFB, Massachusetts, and ed the WAF program, and tion; they had more important
Kadena AB, Okinawa. This the first women were admit- things to focus on. Leading
was the most demanding and ted to the Academy. She an American and Korean staff
stressful environment of the was on hand to see the first in a combined command.
When Juanita Walton grad- Strategic Air Command in the women -- in the Class of And a special memory and
uated from the University of heyday of deterrence. SAC’s 1980 -- become cadets. thrill – a back-seat ride in an
Utah in 1960, she taught comprehensive checklists and F-16 with some moments at
school for six years and then inspections embraced admin- She subsequently became the controls.
heeded the recruiter’s promise istration and personnel as the wing director of admin-
of travel and adventure as an strictly as they did operational istration at Little Rock AFB, Afterwards she settled
Air Force officer. At that readiness. Stints commanding followed by an assignment down in Arkansas, focused on
time, women in the ranks were the base’s WAF Squadron and to Osan AB, Korea, as the activities in the Church of
still called “WAF’s,” a gesture serving as a wing’s Staff Direc- chief of administration for Jesus Christ of Latter-day
to the Women’s Army Corps tor for Women came with the the Air Component Com- Saints, and traveled through-
(“WAC’s”) first formed in territory. mand of the ROK-US Com- out the United States and the
World War II. WAF’s were bined Forces Command. world.
assigned to only a few non- It was at this time that she She returned to Little Rock
flying Air Force specialties, came to the attention of Cap- for her final assignment, and Looking back, the ac-
and after attending Officer tain Reddel and Colonel Hur- she retired as a Major in ceptance of women in the Air
Training School, she began her ley, who asked her to join the 1987. Her decorations in- Force was needlessly slow,
career as an “administrative USAFA Department of Histo- clude the Bronze Star, Meri- but outstanding officers like
officer,” the new Air Force ry. She would be the first torious Service Medal, and Juanita Walton helped break
designation for adjutants. No woman officer assigned to the Air Force Commendation the paths to the future.
one deploys and fights, of DFH. After earning a master’s Medal. [DMB]