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Fighter pilot makes history at USAF Weapons School
Susan Garcia be Patches,” Armstrong said. “They (Courtesy photo/Susan Garcia)
really summed up the ‘humble, ap-
U.S. Air Force Weapons School proachable, credible’ motto of the Capt. Kari Armstrong, an F-15E Strike Eagle weapon systems officer with the 389th Fighter Squad-
weapons school. To me, a Patch ron, received more than a diploma from the U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base,
MOUNTAIN HOME AIR means being very proficient at your Nevada, June 27,. Armstrong also became the first female F-15E weapons school officer and the
FORCE BASE, Idaho (AFNS) -- job, but also being willing and avail- second female student in a fighter platform -- after Col. Jeannie Leavitt in June 1998 -- to com-
Capt. Kari Armstrong, an F-15E able to help those around you.” plete the graduate-level school.
Strike Eagle weapon systems officer
with the 389th Fighter Squadron, re- Her skills and teaching acumen will be excellent leaders for the (U.S. officers to apply for the school. She
ceived more than a diploma from the resulted in her selection to the 17th Air Force).” wants them to know becoming a
U.S. Air Force Weapons School at Weapons Squadron’s F-15E Weap- Patch is an attainable goal; however,
Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June ons Instructor Course on her first Her fellow classmates were es- “It is not a goal you can complete
27. Armstrong also became the first application to the weapons school. sential to Armstrong’s success. She overnight; it is something you have
female F-15E weapons school officer After arriving, Armstrong soon re- advised potential weapons school to work hard at every single day.
and the second female student in a alized she might be the first female students to “stay positive and lean
fighter platform -- after Col. Jeannie weapons school officer to graduate on your classmates for support -- “(The weapons school) is chal-
Leavitt in June 1998 -- to complete from the fighter weapons instructor look for the little wins.” lenging, but it’s also the best flying
the graduate-level school. course; however, she could not allow I’ve ever had the opportunity to
herself to think about that. She had Small successes during the course participate in,” Armstrong contin-
While she appreciates the his- to focus on the 260 academic hours, are important. They help counter the ued. “Unless you go to a Red Flag,
torical aspect of her experience, 28 flying missions and a course de- challenging hours of training and the you won’t typically see how all the
Armstrong said her vision for the signed to contain the toughest op- constructive feedback from instructors. platforms work together. Getting
future goes beyond her gender. Her erational conditions most students outside your own bubble helps you
ultimate goals are to be the best in- ever see. As she returns to the 389th FS see the bigger picture of how we all
structor she can be and to inspire and Mountain Home Air Force play a role in the overall mission.”
others to excel in the same way her “Going through the course, I didn’t Base, Armstrong said she hopes to
mentors did. Those goals motivated feel singled out,” Armstrong said. “At encourage other weapons school
her to apply to the weapons school the end of the day, (gender) doesn’t
in the first place. matter in the briefing rooms. All that
matters is the quality of your brief,
Armstrong did not have to put execution and debrief.”
herself through weapons school -- a
rigorous school that selects only the The 17th WPS leadership echoed
top 3 percent of F-15E aircrew, with that sentiment. “Captain Arm-
an elimination rate of 10 percent strong’s accomplishments are no-
per class. However, Armstrong had table simply because of her abil-
observed and admired the gradu- ity,” said Lt. Col. James Blanton, the
ates -- also known as “Patches” -- at 17th WPS commander. “She’s a very
her unit for some time. good aviator and instructor. Regard-
less of gender, all of our students
“I realized that the people I want-
ed to emulate the most happened to
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