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      Forging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the wayForging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the way
                        
                        
                        Col. Samantha Weeks, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, prepares to go live for the Air Force Women’s Virtual Fly-In, May 11, 2020. Hosted on the Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Facebook page, the event featured 10 guest and keynote speakers who talked and discussed a variety of topics ranging from senior leadership perspective, rated diversity initiatives, unconscious bias, and leading with an infinite mindset. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rita Felton)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Forging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the wayForging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the way
                        
                        
                        Col. Samantha Weeks, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, speaks with retired Gen. Lori Robinson, former commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command, May 11, 2020, during the Air Force Women’s Virtual Fly-In hosted on the Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Facebook page. The Facebook Live event was an opportunity to unite aviatrices to enable learning, coaching, mentorship and connectedness. (Courtesy screenshot)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Forging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the wayForging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the way
                        
                        
                        Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett talks to a virtual audience during the Air Force Women’s Virtual Fly-In, May 11, 2020, hosted on the Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Facebook page. Barrett spoke about the advances in the air and space forces while also highlighting some historic milestones of American women in aviation history. (Courtesy screenshot)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res
        


        Forging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the wayForging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the way
                        
                        
                        Col. Samantha Weeks, 14th Flying Training Wing commander, speaks with Simon Sinek, British-born American author and motivational speaker who has done work with the RAND Corporation, May 11, 2020, during the Air Force Women’s Virtual Fly-In hosted on the Columbus Air Force Base, Miss. Facebook page. The Facebook Live event was an opportunity to unite aviatrices to enable learning, coaching, mentorship and connectedness. (Courtesy screenshot)
                
                Photo Details /
                        Download Hi-Res

Forging the future, first-ever virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In boldly leads the wayPublished May 13, 2020
                    
                    
                    14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
            **COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. (AFNS) --****Columbus Air Force Base** hosted the first-ever Air Force Virtual Women’s Fly-In during a Facebook Live event, May 11.
With a nod to female aviation pioneers as the backdrop, the event was open to all Airmen regardless of gender or career field, and helped Airmen create networks to learn more about experiences, leadership and life.
“The vision of the original event was to connect aviatrices and build a supportive network to grow our diverse and inclusive force, as well as connect our operators with their long blue line and origin in the **Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II**,” said **Col. Samantha Weeks**, 14th Flying Training Wing commander and lead organizer of the event. “Today, with the realities of coronavirus, a physical fly-in isn’t possible, but a virtual venue to connect provides an even greater opportunity and outreach across the Air Force.”
The event featured 10 guest and keynote speakers who talked and discussed a variety of topics ranging from senior leadership perspective, rated diversity initiatives, unconscious bias, and leading with an infinite mindset.**Secretary of the Air Force Barbara Barrett** talked about the advances in the Air and Space Forces while also highlighting some historic milestones of American women in aviation history.
“Women have been leading and continue to lead the Department of the United States Air Force,” Barrett said.
“There is no better time to be part of the air and space forces,” she said. “We’re thrilled that you are a part of it.”
Harriett Quimby was one of those women in aviation history who have made a big impact. In 1911, she was awarded a U.S. pilot's certificate by the Aero Club of America, becoming the first woman to gain a pilot's license in the United States. Born May 11, 1875, Quimby lived only to the age of 37, but she influenced the role of women in aviation. She died in a plane crash, July 1, 1912, at the third annual Boston Aviation Meet.
Among the keynote speakers was retired **Gen. Lori Robinson**, former commander of U.S. Northern Command and North American Aerospace Defense Command. Robinson used a majority of her time to address questions from the audience, which included topics from her biggest leadership challenge, choosing mentors, conscious and unconscious bias challenges, combating perceptions while staying true to oneself, and how the Air Force can move forward with protecting people.
Providing an answer to a viewer’s question, Robinson said when people start incorporating gender into how issues or topics are brought forward and dealt with, it can essentially be detrimental to moving forward.
“When we start worrying about that, then we worry about things that add to our problem and not add to a solution,” Robinson said.
Robinson said that during her time in service, as she became an air battle manager in the 1990s’, there were no other female mentors in the Combat Air Forces to look toward. However, she said she was very fortunate that her male mentors were very supportive in propelling her forward.
“What they cared about, wasn’t that I was a woman, what they cared about was that I cared about doing my job, and being the best at all of that,” she said.
She said she feels that Airmen today should be taking that same approach, and when they’re seeking a mentor, they should really be looking at someone they want to resemble.
“It’s not are you a man or are you a woman, in my opinion,” she said. “Who has the traits that you relish and who has the traits that you want to be like; so that as you grow older you can share those traits to make those who work for and with you better than you.”
Conversely, Simon Sinek, British-born American author and motivational speaker who has done work with the RAND Corporation said, “there is tremendous value in serving.” He went on to discuss the meaning behind having “an infinite mindset.”
“It’s all about constant improvement, that’s what it is,” Sinek said. “The infinite mindset is about the journey.”
Part of this journey is learning how to constantly improve not only as an individual but as a team too; and one of the most foundational aspects of a team is trust.
“You can’t build trust quickly,” Sinek said. “But what you can do is be open and honest and a part of honesty is providing regular and constructive feedback.
“Everybody wants feedback. We want to know how we’re doing,” he said. “But we don’t always receive it the same way.”
Sinek said he has known some leaders with hard personalities but their people adore them because they put the interest of their people first.
He also shared that, “Toxic leadership isn’t always about screaming and yelling; that’s not what toxicity necessarily means. Toxicity is someone who puts themselves before their team to make decisions to advance themselves. They would rather sacrifice their people before themselves, and they don’t take the time and attention to learn how the team needs to be spoken to, or how they function best.”
Sinek ended by saying, “make your “yeses” have an impact and take care of each other.”
With rated diversity being a top priority for Air Force senior leaders, the fly-in was a way for creating a place to discuss, connect and cultivate relationships, as well as to share struggles, successes, and resources is critical to building the force.
The event also honored the Women Airforce Service Pilots, or WASP, who as federal civil service employees played a pivotal role during World War II. Despite various members of the armed forces being involved in the creation of the program, the WASP and its members had no military standing. The WASP arrangement with the U.S. Army Air Forces ended on December 20, 1944.
“The WASP was a civilian women pilots' organization who became trained pilots who tested aircraft, ferried aircraft, and trained other pilots,” Weeks said. “These women flew over 60 million miles, transported every airframe in the military arsenal, towed targets for training, and transported essential cargo. In 1977, the WASP were granted veteran status and in 2009, with the lead of Air Force aviatrices like Col. Nicole Malachowski, they were awarded the Congressional Gold Medal. These women, now in their 90's, continue to serve as an inspiration to all of us and we’re proud to honor their legacy.”
Anyody who missed the live Facebook broadcast can watch it on the **Columbus AFB Facebook page**.AFWN 



USAF 



AF 



Air Force 



fly-in 



mentor 



heritage 



Air Mobility Command 



SecAF 



innovation 



diversity 



14th Flying Training Wing 



Columbus AFB 



Air Force Virtual Women’s Fly-In 



female aviation 



One Air Force Featured News
        Senior Leader Priorities
                SecAF, CSAF, CMSAF begin Indo-Pacific trip focused on ACE
                    
                    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 fightInnovation
                F-16s arrive to be modified for autonomous testing
                    
                    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 finalistsMAJCOM 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