Meet the first all-woman aircrew of the Air Force's 'Combat King'
For the squadron and its leadership, recognition was not the goal of this flight either. "We just never had enough women in all the aircrew positions to make it happen," said Lt. Col. Jesse Enfield, 71st RQS commander.
"When I started flying the HC-130 in 2004 there were no female aircraft commanders or navigators in our squadron," Enfield said.
Enfield went on to detail that while the number of female aircrew members is on the rise and that events like this are important to continue to normalize women in aviation.
"We need women aviators just like we need women doctors, teachers, police officers, etcetera, because gender doesn't determine your ability to be in the air," Enfield said. "We need women in aviation, not because they are women, but because they are human beings with ideas, with drive, and with commitment."
This may have been a first in Moody and the Air Force history but all involved hope it has a positive effect on the female aviators to come.
"I hope there are high school and middle school girls who see this flight and know they can be a part of something amazing," said Enfield.
"I hope this flight raises interest in the Air Force rescue mission, and that people who want to serve and truly save lives think about joining the Air Force to fulfill the rescue motto: These things we do, that others may live," Enfield added.
History is full of firsts and while it is important to document these moments, it is just as important, if not more, to capture the "why."
The crew and leadership from the 347th Rescue Group expressed that their "why" has more to do with future than it does the past.
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