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ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, S.D. – When Capt. Sarah Brandt, 37th Bomb Squadron scheduling flight commander, conceptualized her Air Force career as an ROTC cadet at the University of Kentucky; she knew little aside from the fact that she wanted to fly. However, when Brandt joined the military, she knew that growing her family while being part of an aircrew would be extremely difficult.
During Women’s History Month, observed annually by the Department of Defense each March, Raider Country recognizes the strides that have eliminated barriers for servicewomen like Brandt.
Now, as an aircrew member with the 37th BS, Brandt spends a significant amount of time in the B-1B Lancer – a dream come true for many aviators. As she continues to pursue her aspirations within aviation, Brandt applauds the changes made in recent years that have revolutionized the ability for female aviators to pursue yet another dream: starting or expanding their families.
Brandt said that while being in a male-dominated career field can have its challenges, she has always felt accepted and feels that the military has opened many doors for her. These opportunities have only grown since the updates to Air Force policy for pregnant aircrew.
Enacted in September 2019, Air Force policies were amended to allow fully qualified pilots and aircrew, like Brandt, to continue performing assigned duties during pregnancy without a medical waiver. Currently pregnant with her second child, she and her unborn daughter have already accumulated 37 hours together in the B-1.
“The sky really is the limit,” said Brandt. “If you go out there, and you set a goal for yourself, then there’s no reason you shouldn’t be able to end up in a cockpit. I love my job and I would suggest this to any little kid out there, but especially little girls.”
| Date Taken: | 03.28.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2023 17:37 |
| Story ID: | 441386 |
| Location: | ELLSWORTH AIR FORCE BASE, SD, US |
| Web Views: | 35 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Living History: Capt. Sarah Brandt - Women's History Month 2023, by SrA Alexis Morris, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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