AF celebrates Women's History Month

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Walston
  • 913th Airlift Group
Little Rock AFB, Ark. --  Women have been at the forefront of the civil rights struggle for years, and have left a legacy throughout all sectors of American culture.

Victoria Woodhull, considered a radical of her time, said, “I come before you to declare that my sex are entitled to the inalienable right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.”

She lived those words in 1872 she became the first woman to run for the presidency of the United States. Woodhull, and women like her, set the stage for those who followed. They are all being celebrated in March during Women’s History Month.

The year's theme is "Working to Form a More Perfect Union: Honoring Women in Public Service and Government," and honors women who have shaped the nation's history and its future through service and leadership in the Department of Defense and in the nation.

Many of the 913th Airlift Group’s women were inspired to serve by other women, and will undoubtedly inspire others by the examples they set.

For Lt. Col. Rosalind L. Abdulkhalik, commander of the 913th Force Support Squadron, inspiration came from family.

“I’m third generation Air Force,” said Abdulkhalik. “My grandmother was a ‘WAC’ (Women’s Army Corps), and my dad was in Vietnam.”

Abdulkhalik said joining the Air Force was accidental. Her original goal was to be an occupational therapist, but things didn’t go as planned. When she went to college, she was placed in military dorms and was heavily recruited by all the services. By the second semester she’d signed up, shocking her parents.

“I think it’s unique for females to pick this as an occupation, but you’re given a fair shot as long as you respect people and are a valuable team member,” Abdulkhalik said. “My daughter wants to serve now. She has been talking about going to the Air Force academy. I’m proud she has me as an example to carry that heritage on.”

For Chief Master Sgt. Cynthia Underwood, the air transportation superintendent for the 96th Aerial Port Squadron, the reasons for choosing a career in the Air Force were different.

“While growing up in Del Rio, Texas, I would frequently see airmen from Laughlin Air Force Base. The first thing I noticed was their uniforms; the sharpness of the uniform and how they presented themselves represented something bigger to me, something I wanted to be a part of,” said Underwood. “While I had no history of military members on either side of my family and patriotism not being a term I had ever referenced, I knew I had to be a part of this organization. So, in September 1984 I was on a bus to basic training in San Antonio, Texas. That was the beginning.”

Underwood spent the next 10 years in the aerial port community.

“Arriving to my first assignment I immediately realized that the ratio of males to females was very one-sided, with males contributing over 90 percent. I was intimidated. With the small amount of females that were there, I knew I had to prove myself. To do so, I started learning how to do the job and made it a point to do it on my own and better than my male counterparts. I didn’t want to be the stereo-typical woman men often categorized as not pulling their own weight, so I didn’t ask for their help and I made it a point to stand out by outperforming them. In doing so I became stronger and more independent,” Underwood said.

After 10 years on active duty, Underwood decided to get out and work for Southwest Airlines. She stayed out for a year and a half.

“I missed what I got from active duty, the feeling of patriotism, so I put the uniform back on,” she said.

In 1996, Underwood joined the Air Force Reserve and was assigned to the 96th Aerial Port Squadron at Little Rock AFB, Arkansas.

“When I look back on my active duty time, I don’t think mentoring was as prominent as it is today. If someone, prior to making the decision to leave active duty, had sat me down and asked what I was doing and explained to me that I had already invested 10 years of service, I might have stayed on active duty. I thought people would ask, and that didn’t happen,” Underwood said.

Underwood worked hard on her way to the top of the enlisted ranks, earning the rank of chief master sergeant.

“The opportunity is always available for any female looking to advance,” Underwood said. “When I joined in, back in 1984, I didn’t understand that, and it took me a while to realize what I could achieve. I think more chiefs and high-ranking females in the military today are ensuring everyone knows that every position in the military is open to anyone who is willing to work hard to get there.”

Expansions in opportunities for women who choose the military life have increased enlistments over the years.

For others, benefits that service in the military offers plays a major role as far as enlisting goes. That was the case for Senior Airman Bobbi Reader, an aircrew flight equipment technician assigned to the 913th Operations Support Squadron at Little Rock AFB.

Reader, who is from Carlisle, Arkansas, joined the military for education benefits. Assigned to the 913th Airlift Group straight out of basic military training, Reader sees the military and animals in her future.

“I really like the military, so I plan on staying in the Reserve until I can’t anymore. I see no reason to leave, it’s just once a month,” Reader said. “But, I am pursuing a degree in Biology and Zoology. I’m emphasizing Zoology, because I would love to be an animal caretaker one day.”

Reader has a mentor she leans on in times of need. “I go to her anytime I need help or advice,” Reader said. “She’s friendly and open. I see how far she’s come in the military and how happy she it and it inspires me.”

As women continue to take on even greater responsibilities and challenges within the military, it only appropriate that the Air Force celebrate those women, especially those who have set a standard in every conflict since the Revolutionary War.