'What women can do': Female air training officers tore down walls

  • Published
  • By Amber Baillie
  • Academy Spirit staff writer
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. --  Nearly 33 years ago, the first female Academy graduate strode across the Falcon Stadium grounds to receive her diploma, but she wasn't the first to prove what women in the military are capable of.

In 1976, 12 female lieutenants from across the Air Force were selected to serve as Air Training Officers to mentor female cadets by helping them develop military skills and work through the Academy's intense curriculum.

Four of those ATOs returned here to reminisce about the Academy, stroll across the Terrazzo and share their experiences with family members March 8.

"We were basically guinea pigs," said former Capt. Bonnie Hampton. "Normally, cadets go through their physical training test once a year and we went through it four times in six months. They put us on training programs to see if they could increase our upper body strength and wanted to see what women could do."

These ATO's played a key role in the integration of female cadets to the Academy.
"When we were here, the cadets didn't want us here," said retired Lt. Col. Shirley Eadline. "But we honestly believed that we were professionals and that was our job. We were assigned the position by the Air Force and we were going to do it as best as we could despite what anyone thought."

On Oct. 7, 1975, President Gerald Ford signed legislation granting women to attend the military academies. The following year, the Academy revived the ATO model to see what the Academy's culture would be like with women.

The ATO's stepped into a role typically given to male upperclassmen from 1954-1957, serving as drill instructors and father figures for the freshmen.

"We were all here a year," said retired Capt. Charlotte Green. "We worked the first summer with the female cadets through the academic year, and following summer. Then we parted ways."

Green and Eadline became pilots, Hampton stayed at the Academy as a public affairs officer, and Hartmann pursued a career as a logistics officer.

"We all went on our own individual journeys," Eadline said. "Look at Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski, a former ATO -- she became the first three-star general in the Air Force. We all selected our own roots and did what we wanted to do."

When asked what kept them motivated during the rigorous program, the four women simultaneously replied, "Each other."

"We're such good friends," said retired Lt. Col. Virginia Hartmann. "Over the years, we've seen each other a lot. Thirty plus years is a long time to be good friends."

Women are very much empowered these days, Eadline said.

"The world is open to them," she said. "The biggest decision they have is, 'What do I want to do with my life? Women fought for that in the 70's, 80's and 90's."

"The great thing is our daughters can be themselves and play any sport they want or attend any college they'd like," Eadline added. "We're so proud to have been a part of that, breaking down some of those walls for the next generation."

One of the Academy's main philosophies is, 'We will tear you down and build you back up the way we want you to be,' Hampton said.

"We've spent the rest of our lives building each other up by being the women we are," Hampton said.

Since then more than 3,900 women have graduated and received commissions through the Academy and served in operational assignments throughout the Air Force.