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Ashley Rolfe is one of the United States Air Force female fighter pilots who qualified to fly McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle. As a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, she makes history at the 104th Fighter Wing as the first female fighter pilot in the wing's 70-year history in Aug. 18, 2016. She served in 67th Fighter Squadron at Kadena Air Base. [1] Kadena was Rolfe's first duty assignment, where she also made history by serving in the 67th Fighter Squadron as the only female F-15 pilot. In 2010, she was the only female fighter pilot participating in Exercise Commando Sling that appeared in Air Force TV News "One of a Kind". [2]
Rolfe graduated United States Air Force Academy. She completed pilot training in 2007, fulfilling her lifelong dream to become an F-15 Eagle fighter pilot. She has served in the active-duty Air Force for 11 years. In addition to serving at Tyndall, she has been stationed as a fighter pilot at Kadena Air Base in Japan and Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. She has been deployed twice, most recently to Afghanistan for six months. She flew T-38 aircraft in an aggressor role as part of the F-22 Raptor fighter program at her previous duty assignment at Tyndall before coming to the 104th. She is married and has one daughter. [3] [4] [5]
Tyndall Air Force Base is a United States Air Force Base located 12 miles (19 km) east of Panama City, Florida. The base was named in honor of World War I pilot 1st Lt. Frank Benjamin Tyndall. The base operating unit and host wing is the 325th Fighter Wing of the Air Combat Command (ACC). The base hosts 2,902 active duty members. In October 2018, Hurricane Michael caused significant damage to the base.
Kadena Air Base is a United States Air Force base in the towns of Kadena and Chatan and the city of Okinawa, in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan. It is often referred to as the "Keystone of the Pacific" because of its highly strategic location. It is located 650 km (400 mi) off the coast of China and at a distance of 770 km (480 mi) from Shanghai, a major Chinese economic hub. It is home to the USAF's 18th Wing, the 353rd Special Operations Wing, reconnaissance units, 1st Battalion, 1st Air Defense Artillery Regiment, and a variety of associated units. Over 20,000 American servicemembers, family members, and Japanese employees live or work at Kadena Air Base. It is the largest and most active U.S. Air Force base in East Asia.
The 142nd Wing is a unit of the Oregon Air National Guard and the United States Air Force, stationed at Portland Air National Guard Base, Oregon. When activated for federal service, the wing falls under control of Air Combat Command.
Otis Air National Guard Base is an Air National Guard installation located within Joint Base Cape Cod, a military training facility located on the western portion of Cape Cod in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. It was known as Otis Air Force Base prior to its transfer from the active duty Air Force to the Air National Guard. In the local community, it is more commonly known as Otis Air Base or simply Otis. It was named in honor of pilot and Boston surgeon Lt. Frank "Jesse" Otis.
The United States Air Force's 18th Wing is the host wing for Kadena Air Base, Okinawa, Japan and is the Air Force's largest combat wing. It is the largest and principal organization in the Pacific Air Forces Fifth Air Force.
The United States Air Force's 102nd Intelligence Wing, of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, is a military intelligence unit located at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. Its primary subordinate operational unit is the 101st Intelligence Squadron. The 102nd Fighter Wing was formally re-designated the 102nd Intelligence Wing on 6 April 2008 and was planned to reach full operational capacity in 2010.
The 104th Fighter Wing is a unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard, stationed at Westfield-Barnes Regional Airport, Westfield, Massachusetts. When activated to federal service, the Wing is gained by the United States Air Force Air Combat Command.
The 33rd Fighter Wing, sometimes written 33d Fighter Wing, is a United States Air Force unit assigned to Air Education and Training Command's Nineteenth Air Force. It is stationed at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida where it is a tenant unit.
Carrol Howard "Howie" Chandler, is a retired United States Air Force four-star general. He last served as the 35th Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force from August 27, 2009, to January 14, 2011. He previously served as commander of Pacific Air Forces from November 2007 to August 20, 2009, and deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements from October 23, 2005, to November 29, 2007. As vice chief, he presided over the Air Staff and served as a member of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Requirements Oversight Council and Deputy Advisory Working Group. He assisted the chief of staff with organizing, training, and equipping of 680,000 active-duty, Guard, Reserve and civilian forces serving in the United States and overseas. He retired from the Air Force by March 1, 2011. In 2012 he joined Pratt & Whitney Military Engines as vice president for military business development and international programs.
The Florida Air National Guard is the aerial militia of the U.S. state of Florida. It is a reserve component of the United States Air Force and along with the Florida Army National Guard, an element of the Florida National Guard. It is also an element of the Air National Guard (ANG) at the national level, falling in with the Army National Guard (ARNG) as part of the greater United States National Guard under the National Guard Bureau (NGB).
The Virginia Air National Guard (VA ANG) is the aerial militia of the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States of America. It is a reserve of the United States Air Force and along with the Virginia Army National Guard an element of the Virginia National Guard of the much larger United States National Guard Bureau.
The United States Air Force's 101st Intelligence Squadron, Massachusetts Air National Guard, is an intelligence unit assigned to the 102nd Intelligence Wing and located at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts. From its creation in 1921 to its mission change in 2008, the 101st was the mainstay of aerospace defence for the Northeastern United States. The 101st was deployed during the Berlin Crisis to France and was also deployed to Panama during Operation Coronet Nighthawk. It also participated in Operation Northern Watch. During the September 11 attacks, the 101st was the first Air Force unit to send aircraft toward New York City, but they arrived too late to help stop the attacks.
The 104th Fighter Squadron, nicknamed the Fightin' O's, is a unit of the Maryland Air National Guard 175th Wing stationed at Warfield Air National Guard Base, Middle River, Maryland. The 104th is equipped with the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II.
The 1st Fighter Squadron is an inactive unit of the United States Air Force. It was most recently based at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, where it operated McDonnell Douglas F-15C Eagle aircraft conducting advanced fighter training.
The 131st Fighter Squadron is a unit of the Massachusetts Air National Guard 104th Fighter Wing located at Barnes Air National Guard Base, Westfield, Massachusetts. The 131st is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle.
The 67th Fighter Squadron "Fighting Cocks" is a fighter squadron of the United States Air Force, part of the 18th Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. The 67th is equipped with the F-15C/D Eagle, and is planned to transition to the F-15EX Eagle II in 2026.
The 378th Air Expeditionary Wing is a provisional United States Air Forces Central Command unit assigned to Air Combat Command. As a provisional unit, it may be activated or inactivated at any time.
Lieutenant General Leon Scott Rice is a former director of the Air National Guard. He previously served as The Adjutant General (TAG) and Commander of the Massachusetts National Guard and as an assistant to Gen Mark A. Welsh III, former commander of the United States Air Forces in Europe. Rice has also served as commander of USAF Forces deployed for United States Central Command in the Middle East Area of Operations. He is a Boeing 777 first officer flying for United Airlines in Washington Dulles International Airport. On 3 April 2012 he was appointed by Governor Deval Patrick as The Adjutant General (TAG) of the Massachusetts National Guard and reappointed as The Adjutant General by Governor Charles Baker on 12 May 2015. Rice retired from the U.S. Air Force on 1 August 2020 after over 40 years of service.
Paul Daniel Moga is a United States Air Force major general who has served as the commander of Third Air Force since April 3, 2024. He most recently served as chief of staff of United States Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa from 2023 to 2024. He previously served as the Commandant of Cadets of the United States Air Force Academy from 2021 to 2023, and as the deputy director for operations of the United States Northern Command.