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NEWS | March 30, 2021

Women's History Month 2021, first female UPT graduates on new "The Air Force Starts Here" podcast

By Capt. Kayshel Trudell Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs

By presidential proclamation, National Women’s History Week became recognized as Women’s History Month in 1987 to honor women’s contribution to American history, culture and society.

In episode 48 of "The Air Force Starts Here" podcast, we celebrate Women’s History Month 2021 with four of the first-ever women to graduate Air Force Undergraduate Pilot Training here in 1977.

Capt. Kayshel Trudell from the Air Education and Training Command public affairs team spoke with these trailblazers from UPT class 77-08.

Joining the discussion was retired Col. Kathleen Cosand and retired Lt. Cols Mary Donahue, Sandra Scott and Mary Livingston who attended UPT from August 1976 to September 1977.

These women left their mark on the pages of history and have opened doors for women pilots and Airmen for generations to come. 

Diversity in all forms makes the Air Force better and it’s more than race, gender and ethnicity, it’s about leveraging unique strengths, perspectives and experiences. Women serving past, present and future bring unique warfighting capabilities to our nation.  

Don’t miss their stories, and the wisdom they share, on the importance of determination, mentorship and wingmanship during this Women’s History Month episode of the Air Force Starts Here podcast.

You can stream The Air Force Starts Here Podcast on your favorite podcast streaming app or on: