Leaders of the AF
First CMSAF
Who is Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Paul Airey?
Adviser to Secretary of the Air Force on matters concerning welfare, effective utilization & progress of enlisted members of the AF. Laid the groundwork for WAPS and served most of his career as a 1st Sgt.
The first woman to command a combat missile unit.
Who is Lt Col Patricia Fornes?
At Minot AFB in 1993, Lt Col Patricia Fornes becomes the 740th Missile Squadron commander.
The first woman to enlist in the USAF.
Who is Esther Blake?
The first woman to enlist in the U.S. Air Force on July 8, 1948, immediately after it became a separate service.
The only officer to hold 5-star rank in two different U.S. services.
Who is General Henry "Hap" Arnold?
As Chief of the Army Air Corps/Forces, he directed global air operations against Axis powers, and championed long-range bombers (B-17, B-24, B-29), jet technology, and radar.
Given the nickname "Father of the Air Force."
Who is General William "Billy" Mitchell?
One of the most senior aviation officers in the U.S. Army and its most aggressive internal critic - commanding Allied air power during WWI he warned future wars would be decided in the air, and the U.S. military’s fixation on battleships left the country dangerously exposed, fought for creation of separate air service.