Skip to main content (Press Enter).
 News
    
        Photos

    Week in Photos

    Air Force TV

    Commentaries

    Features

    Art

    About Us
    
        Air Force Senior Leaders
    
        SECAF

    CSAF

    CMSAF

    Biographies

    Fact Sheets

    SECAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library
    
        CSAF Leadership Library 2022

    CSAF Leadership Library 2021

    CSAF Reading List Pre-2020 Archive
    
        2018 CSAF Reading List

    2017 CSAF Reading List

    2016 CSAF Reading List

    CSAF Leadership Library 2023

    CMSAF Leadership Library

    50 Years of the CMSAF

    Adjunct Professors

    Air Force Strategic Documents

    Arctic Strategy

    Empowered Airmen

    State Licensure Portability

    Careers

    AF Federal Advisory Committees

    AF 75th Anniversary

    Policy Updates

    AF Content Management

    Contact Us

    AF Sites
    
        Site RegistrationU.S. Air Force LogoAir Force

        Policy UpdatesNewsroomReoptimizationBIOGRAPHIESAF Senior Leaders      Brig. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, 57th Wing commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., poses for a portrait on the flightline July 15, 2016. Leavitt is responsible for 34 squadrons at 13 installations constituting the Air Force's most diverse flying wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum)Breaking barriers through opportunities
                        
                        
                        Brig. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, 57th Wing commander, Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., poses for a portrait on the flightline July 15, 2016. Leavitt is responsible for 34 squadrons at 13 installations constituting the Air Force's most diverse flying wing. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Breaking barriers through opportunitiesPublished April 4, 2017
                    
                    By Airman 1st Class Kevin Tanenbaum
                    
                    
                    99th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
            **NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) --**With over 3,000 flying hours she has broken more than the sound barrier, graduating from and becoming an instructor at the U.S. Air Force Weapons School and attaining operational experience in operations Southern Watch, Northern Watch, Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom, according to Air Force records.
Her résumé speaks for itself.
It’s a résumé full of incredible accomplishments, not including breaking the barrier of being the first female fighter pilot.
For Brig. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, the 57th Wing commander, every accomplishment of her 25-year career flying the F-15E Strike Eagle stems from seizing her opportunities, by seeing them as challenges and overcoming them every step of the way.
“All of these were opportunities, even flying fighters when it was new for women. I didn't think of them as breaking barriers,” Leavitt said. “Effectively, since I was the first female to do those things I did break them, but it was all based on opportunities that the Air Force gave me.”
When Leavitt graduated pilot training at the top of her class, she selected the F-15E Strike Eagle to be her primary aircraft. However, because of a Defense Department policy restricting women from flying fighters, she was denied by the Air Force Personnel Center.
“After that I really wanted to be a T-38 (Talon) instructor pilot, but the Air Force wasn’t having anyone come straight from pilot training to be an instructor pilot,” Leavitt said.  “So, I actually got an assignment for KC-10s at March Air Force Base (Calif.) initially, but I never started the training because the policy change happened right after that.”
Once the policy was altered and women were allowed in the cockpit of fighter jets, Leavitt was hesitant to become the first female, but the opportunity and challenge of being an F-15E pilot was too much to turn away.
“Quite honestly, I didn’t want to be the first,” Leavitt said. “I actually asked if I could be the twelfth, thirteenth or fourteenth. I didn't want the attention or the added pressure of being the first. When someone asked, I said, ‘If those are the terms of the deal, I’ll take it because I really want to fly fighters.’”
This want and drive to fly was one of the main reasons Leavitt joined the Air Force, but the reasons she has stayed are what are most significant to her.
“When I joined the Air Force, I wanted to fly,” Leavitt said. “I was an aerospace engineering major at the University of Texas, and I was learning to design airplanes. I thought it would be amazing to fly.
“I also wanted to serve my country, and the reason I stayed was the people I worked with and the mission. The sense of purpose, being a part of something bigger than yourself, being a part of a team, making a difference (and) defending the nation for my children is so important to me.”
Once DOD policy changed and women were allowed into combat fighter roles, Leavitt faced a new set of challenges, including when she participated in one of the Air Force’s largest joint training exercises: Red Flag.
“When I was a brand new Strike Eagle wingman and I came out to Red Flag, I was very much a target,” said Leavitt. “Everyone knew who I was and knew that I was the first female fighter pilot, and quite honestly there were a lot of adversaries that wanted to take down my aircraft.
“My flight lead got a lot of kills during that Red Flag. Every time someone tried to roll in and kill me he would kill them. So, it was an entertaining deployment, and you have to take that challenge and turn it into an opportunity, and that’s what we did.”
Leavitt has excelled through training to the USAFWS to combat deployments and now as a leader of Airmen, learning to surpass challenges along the way.
“My favorite part of the day is spending time with Airmen.” said Leavitt. “I am so truly honored and humbled to lead the Airmen of the 57th Wing, and spending time with Airmen energizes me. It’s incredible because every Airman truly has a story, and to hear their stories and to see how motivated they are to be a part of this organization is truly refreshing for me.”
This opportunity to connect with and lead Airmen, just like her leadership in the past did with her, is just one of the things Leavitt cherishes most.
“I have been fortunate enough to have incredible opportunities that the Air Force has given me,” said Leavitt. “I have had leaders who believed in me, and empowered me to do wonderful things and, in turn, had the opportunity to lead Airmen. I'm very thankful for that.”
From being empowered by her leadership to leading the 57th WG, the wisdom that she passes down to Airmen is from learned experiences and her own challenges she has faced.
“My advice to Airmen is to do the absolute best in whatever assignment they're placed in,” said Leavitt. “I have all kinds of assignments and interesting jobs, some not being the most desirable. I would just say to excel in any opportunity you're given. If you're presented with a challenge, turn it into an opportunity and make the most of it.”mission 



opportunities 



red flag 



F-15E Strike Eagle 



fighter pilot 



57TH WING 



99th ABW 



Brig. Gen. Leavitt 



purpose 



nellis afb Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                DAF leaders talk budget, reoptimizing the force
                    
                    DAF leaders speak at National Character and Leadership Symposium
                    
                    DAF members recognized during BEYA STEM awards
                    
                    DAF senior enlisted advisors discuss Airmen, Guardians in the fight
                    
                    SecAF Kendall AFA Warfare Symposium Q&A: Reoptimizing for Great Power CompetitionInnovation
                AFWERX director discusses role of tech startups, quick innovation in Great Power Competition
                    
                    DAF delivers lethality at the speed of data during Project Convergence Capstone 4
                    
                    DAF welcomes industry partners to HQ development program
                    
                    DAF announces Spark Tank 2024 finalists
                    
                    Chief Digital, Artificial Intelligence Office to host hackathon in HawaiiMAJCOM News
                Safety enterprise announces new mission, vision, goals in 2024 strategic plan
                    
                    Air Combat Command welcomes new commander
                    
                    USAFE-AFAFRICA commander discusses Integrated Air, Missile Defense during Munich Security Conference
                    
                    Flosi to AFMC family: Embrace change, make every day count
                    
                    AMC rises to increasing global tension
 Quick Links
AccessibilityContact UsEqual OpportunityFOIA | Privacy | Section 508Information QualityInspector GeneralJAG Court-Martial DocketLink DisclaimerNo FEAR ActOpen GovernmentOSI Tip LinePlain LanguageQuestionsResilienceRSSSite MapVeterans Crisis LineCareers
Join the Air ForceAir Force BenefitsAir Force CareersAir Force ReserveAir National GuardCivilian ServiceConnect
            Get Social with Us
            
            Official United States Air Force Website
    Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil