JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-LACKLAND, Texas. –
The Airman Heritage Foundation hosted a luncheon and fashion show in recognition of the Women in the Air Force (WAF) March 27 at Joint Base San Antonio-Lackland’s Gateway Club.
Although women were allowed into the Air Force starting in 1948, the WAF were a separate entity from the regular Air Force for three decades with laws restricting them to only two percent of the force and ten percent of the career fields.
“There were even efforts to do away with women in the military altogether,” said retired Lt. Col. David Schultz, outreach program director for the Airman Heritage Foundation. “The WAF were fighting battles of a philosophical and cultural nature from day one.”
It wasn’t until 1976 that the WAF was dissolved and many of the restrictions placed on woman service members were remove.
In order to bring the rich heritage of the WAF to life, the Airman Heritage Foundation put on a fashion show during the luncheon that featured 18 different historic WAF uniforms.
“We wanted to honor the WAF and provide people a glimpse of the traditional values that the respective periods represented,” said Schultz. “Not only did the uniforms on display define our Airmen of the past, but we also provided historical descriptions of the veterans who donated the uniforms and other key historical information of that particular time frame.”
Putting together the uniforms for this fashion show took a lot of time and effort for Schultz.
“Lt. Col Schultz has spent 20 years collecting this uniforms,” said Staff Sgt. Krisitina L. Craven, “The show really looked spectacular and honored the WAF the way we wanted to.”
In addition to the fashion show, the event also featured guest speakers Brig. Gen. Heather Pringle, 502nd Air Base Wing and JBSA commander, retired Maj. Gen. Susan Pamerlau, former Deputy Chief of Staff for personnel, and Cynthia Vahle, a former member of the WAF.
Vahle delivered powerful remarks detailing a time when marriage or pregnancy would result in removal from the military, and women were still fighting for equality.
As a female member of the Air Force today, Craven really appreciates the battle for change the WAF had to go through.
“It’s really humbling to know how far we’ve come,” said Craven. “From the [struggles] that the WAF went through, to us now being able to own it and be proud that we’re strong women serving with pride in the military is unbelievable.”