Martha McSally

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Col. Martha McSally

United States Air Force
1966-

Then Lt. Col. Martha McSally
Place of birth Warwick, Rhode Island
Allegiance Flag of the United States United States of America
Service/branch Flag of the United States Air Force United States Air Force
Years of service 1988–current
Rank Colonel
Commands held 354th Fighter Squadron
Battles/wars Operation Southern Watch
Operation Allied Force
Operation Enduring Freedom

Martha McSally is a pilot in the U.S. Air Force. She was the first American woman to fly in combat since the lifting of the 1991 prohibition of women in combat. McSally is also the first woman to command an American fighter squadron, the 354th Fighter Squadron based at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. McSally is an A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot.[1]

McSally graduated from St. Mary Academy - Bay View and then the United States Air Force Academy in 1988. She earned a Master's degree from Harvard University's John F. Kennedy School of Government. She was selected for fighter pilot school in 1993, and was deployed to Kuwait in January 1995. During that deployment, she flew combat patrol over Iraq enforcing the no-fly zone. In July, 2004, she took command of the A-10 equipped 354th, and was subsequently deployed to Afghanistan, where she deployed weapons in combat for the first time. In 2005 McSally and her squadron were awarded the David C. Shilling Award, given by the Air Force Association for the best aerospace contribution to national defense.

McSally was represented by the Rutherford Institute in her successful lawsuit against the Department of Defense, challenging the military policy that required servicewomen stationed in Saudi Arabia to wear the body-covering abaya when traveling in the country.

[edit] References

  1. ^ Air Force Lt. Col. Martha McSally - U.S. Department of Defense Official Website
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