MSG Commander speaks at WiSE Symposium

Photo By Airman 1st Class Taylor Shelton | Col. Yvonne Spencer, 92nd Mission Support Group commander, was selected as a guest speaker during the Air Force Technical Applications Center’s Women in Science and Engineering Symposium Sept. 7, 2016, at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. “I was definitely humbled to be asked to speak at a conference to such trailblazers,” said Spencer. “I would have never expected anything like that, to be included in such a well-known group I felt like the Air Force was reaching out and trying to be inclusive and trying to spread the importance of diversity.” (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Taylor Shelton)  

FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, WA, UNITED STATES

10.17.2016

Story by Airman 1st Class Taylor Shelton 

92nd Air Refueling Wing

Col. Yvonne Spencer was asked to speak at the symposium because she was the first African-American and first female to lead the 819th RED HORSE Squadron at Malmstrom Air Force Base, Montana, from 2015-2016. RED HORSE squadrons provide the Air Force with a highly mobile civil engineering response force to support contingency and special operations worldwide.

AFTAC’s WiSE Symposium is in its third year and has grown from 14 speakers and panelists to 34. The event encourages diversity in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math, by providing inspirational presenters and engaging discussions for both women and men in and outside the federal government.

“As women, we are minorities in the Air Force and in the engineering technology field,” said Spencer. “It’s very important for us to share the lessons learned across the board for women and for men to help them understand the importance of STEM and to reinvigorate them in our force.”

This year’s theme, “Breaking the Norm,” was created to guide the symposium’s numerous discussions and breakout sessions of how professionals can work to dispel myths that women are not ‘normally’ found in STEM fields, Spencer said.

“We need to inspire diversity of thought through STEM outreach,” said Maj. Mandi Fuller, a space program manager with AFTAC and program coordinator for the three-day event. “As an organization, we also need to gain an international perspective and leverage global strengths in STEM fields and replicate them. By doing so, it will give us the ability to establish mentoring and networking opportunities to future support career growth in these highly technical and demanding career fields.”

Airmen need to get the message across of the importance of having a larger pool of applicants for STEM fields. One of the things we struggle with as an Air Force, is getting people interested in the engineering sciences and the different types of technology, said Spencer.

“The biggest take back was the importance of diversity and inclusion,” said Spencer. “Diversity is really the crux of what makes our military great. We bring in individuals that have a different perspective and a different mindset and bring something new to the fight; this is why we are able to be the world’s greatest Air Force, because we allow diversity and we nurture it.”

• Date Taken: 10.17.2016
• Date Posted: 11.22.2016 11:36
• Story ID: 215574
• Location: FAIRCHILD AIR FORCE BASE, WA, US