Photo By Staff Sgt. Megan Shepherd | Staff Sgt. Ciara Pugh, works in the 179th Airlift Logistics Readiness Squadron at the...... read more read more
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MANSFIELD, Ohio – March is observed nationally as Women’s History Month. One way to highlight the history of women in the Air National Guard is to observe them making history today in the 179th Airlift Wing, Mansfield, Ohio.
Women at the 179th AW are outnumbered by male Airmen, currently the unit is under 25% female, and that statistic is not unusual for any military installation. The goal is to raise that number to 30% by 2026. As the unit approaches its 70th anniversary it strives to reach further milestones of empowering female Airmen.
Recently, the unit has made history appointing Col. Allison C. Miller as the first female wing commander in the Ohio Air National Guard. Last year, Col. Patricia L. Barr became the Mission Support Group Commander and a female from the unit Chief Master Sgt. Heidi A. Bunker, was selected to be the Command Chief for the 178th Wing. The 179th AW currently has two female Chief Master Sergeants, Chief Dana M. Togliatti and Chief April R. Gunnoe.
Leadership roles are an important step to acknowledging that although they are still outnumbered, they are valued for the diversity they bring to the unit and equal in their ability to get the mission accomplished.
For some of the youngest Airmen, these changes are happening while they are still trying to figure out their roles and career ambitions. Some of the women have been around long enough to personally feel the climate change and can remember a time when they personally felt limited by traditional gender roles.
Staff Sgt. Ciara Pugh is part of the Logistics Readiness Squadron at the 179th AW, Mansfield, Ohio. Pugh says that LRS is vital to keep the base supplied with everything they need to fulfill the mission.
“I work in the customer service section, so I order routine parts for the aircraft or anything needed around base. I handle reoccurring orders of what we call bench stock items, meaning things that are disposed of after each use. I also maintain document control, so I keep a record of purchases and stock control reports for supply.”
Pugh says that doing her part of the mission gives her a sense of pride knowing that she is part of something bigger than herself or the tasks she is completing.
“There’s a sense of pride among [females] knowing that we’re are scarce across the military as a whole. The women that I work with have trained me and helped me to become who I am. My biggest influence has been Chief Gunnoe.”
Gunnoe was selected as the first female Chief of Supply at the 179th AW.
Pugh said that Gunnoe has spoken about how she overcame adversity in her career, “Chief has spoken about how she didn’t always feel she was taken seriously but that hard work has paid off to get her in the position she’s in today. She’s very inspirational.”
Pugh says that she recognizes the shock in some people when she says that she is in the military, “I know that they have their perceptions of what a person in the military looks like. We have to show them who we are and that we can do it.”
The standards are the same for the work being asked of all Airmen in the LRS.
“Especially in the warehouse, we are expected to lift the same boxes and drive the same fork lifts, we’re held to the same standards.”
As the mother of her own daughter she takes pride in leading by example, “I want to do the best that I can out here so that I can show her that she can do it too. The changes that have been happening show us in a different light and hopefully make a lasting impact showing that we are powerful and that we can do anything.”
| Date Taken: | 03.21.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 03.21.2018 10:08 |
| Story ID: | 270094 |
| Location: | MANSFIELD, OH, US |
| Web Views: | 117 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Women's History Month, Pugh's Story, by SSgt Megan Shepherd, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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