Offutt Women visit local students

Photo By J.B. Artley | Female aviators from the 55th Wing visit with girls from Peter Sarpy Elementary March 9. The visit was part of an outreach program to speak to girls about Women's History Month. (U.S. Air Force photo by J.B. Artley)  

BELLEVUE, NE, UNITED STATES

03.09.2022

Story by J.B. Artley 

55th Wing

Seven Airmen from Team Offutt visited Peter Sarpy Elementary School March 9, 2022, to talk about women in the military.
The visit was organized by 1st Lt. Abigail Morte, 343rd Reconnaissance Squadron navigator to speak with girls in elementary school in conjunction with Women’s History Month.
The female Airmen represent three different squadrons from the 55th Wing and have careers ranging from a co-pilot, an electronic warfare officer, to a linguist.
“I thought it was really important that we’re able to come and just show that not only men are in the military, but women are also,” Morte said. “We asked them to raise their hands to show whose parents are in the military, and then I said, ‘okay who’s moms are in the military?’ All the hands except for two went down.”
After a brief question and answer session for the entire group, the seven aviators broke off in smaller teams with the girls to allow the students to get more of their questions answered. Most of the girls had questions about what jobs women could do in the military.
“If they want to do something, it’s out there, and if that thing is within the Air Force that is absolutely awesome,” said Staff Sgt. Katherine Herndon, 97th Intelligence Squadron linguist. “They got to speak to a pilot, a navigator and a few linguists, and I hope that opened their eyes to the fact they’re also empowered to go out and do anything else they want to do.”
The girls in attendance ranged from fourth grade to sixth grade.
“I wish that when I was a little girl, I would’ve been able to talk to somebody about this,” said Morte. “If I would have seen that it was an opportunity, it would have been a straighter path to get where I am today.”
Later this month, The Offutt Women’s History Month Committee will also host a fun run and the Boy and Girl Scouts in Lincoln for a Scouts in Aviation Day.

• Date Taken: 03.09.2022
• Date Posted: 03.15.2022 11:40
• Story ID: 416223
• Location: BELLEVUE, NE, US