[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 162 (2016), Part 10]
[Senate]
[Page 14042]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




 SENATE RESOLUTION 611--SUPPORTING THE DESIGNATION OF OCTOBER 8, 2016, 
 AS ``40 YEARS OF WOMEN CADETS AT THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY 
                                 DAY''

  Mr. GARDNER (for himself and Mr. Bennet) submitted the following 
resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Armed Services:

                              S. Res. 611

       Whereas, in September 1972, the United States Air Force 
     Academy (in this preamble referred to as the ``Academy'') 
     became the first service academy to prepare for the arrival 
     of female cadets when it issued Operational Plan 36-72, 
     ``Integration of Females into the Cadet Wing'';
       Whereas, on October 8, 1975, the day after President Ford 
     signed the Department of Defense Appropriation Authorization 
     Act, 1976 (Public Law 94-106; 89 Stat. 531), which authorized 
     women to attend military service academies, the Academy 
     announced that the first class of women would be admitted on 
     June 28, 1976;
       Whereas, on January 13, 1976, the first woman to enter the 
     Academy Preparatory School arrived;
       Whereas, on June 28, 1976, the Academy became the first 
     service academy to admit women when 156 women arrived as part 
     of the class of 1980;
       Whereas the first African-American women to attend the 
     Academy arrived in 1976 and graduated in 1980;
       Whereas the first Hispanic woman to attend any military 
     service academy arrived at the Academy in 1976 and graduated 
     in 1980;
       Whereas, on August 15, 1979, a woman First Class Cadet from 
     the Academy's class of 1980 became the first Academy woman to 
     complete a solo flight in the T-41 training aircraft;
       Whereas, on May 28, 1980, the first 97 women graduated from 
     the Academy;
       Whereas, in 1981, 4 women at the Academy were the first 
     Academy women named as All-Americans by the National 
     Collegiate Athletic Association (in this preamble referred to 
     as the ``NCAA'');
       Whereas, on November 24, 1980, a woman cadet became the 
     Cadet Wing Commander at the Academy for the first time;
       Whereas, in 1981, a woman cadet at the Academy was selected 
     as a Rhodes Scholar for the first time;
       Whereas, in 1986, a woman cadet at the Academy received the 
     Outstanding Cadet in Order of Graduation Award for the first 
     time;
       Whereas, in 1987, a woman graduate from the class of 1980 
     returned to the Academy as an Air Officer Commanding for the 
     first time;
       Whereas, on July 1, 1990, the women's athletic program of 
     the Academy officially became a member of the Colorado 
     Athletic Conference;
       Whereas, on January 13, 1993, a woman from the United 
     States Air Force, and a member of the Academy's class of 
     1980, flew into space for the first time aboard the space 
     shuttle Endeavour;
       Whereas, on April 14, 1994, a woman graduate of the Academy 
     died in a combat zone and received the Purple Heart award for 
     the first time;
       Whereas, in January 1995, a member of the Academy's class 
     of 1988 became the first woman to log United States Air Force 
     fighter pilot combat time;
       Whereas, in August 1996, women athletes at the Academy 
     began their first year as NCAA Division I members;
       Whereas, on June 25, 1998, an Academy graduate from the 
     class of 1982 and a Rhodes Scholar became the first woman 
     graduate of the Academy elected to Congress;
       Whereas, in 1999, a member of the Academy's class of 1998 
     became the first African-American woman to serve as a combat 
     pilot;
       Whereas, in 2004, a 1988 graduate of the Academy took 
     command of the 354th Fighter Squadron, becoming the first 
     woman in the history of the United States to command a combat 
     aviation unit;
       Whereas, on October 1, 2004, a member of the Academy's 
     class of 1983 became the first woman graduate of the Academy 
     promoted to brigadier general and took office as Dean of the 
     Faculty of the Academy;
       Whereas, in November 2005, a member of the Academy's class 
     of 1996 became the first woman member of the United States 
     Air Force's aerial demonstration team, the Thunderbirds;
       Whereas, in December 2005, a member of the Academy's class 
     of 1980 was the first woman Academy graduate to become 
     Commandant of Cadets;
       Whereas, on September 7, 2006, a member of the Academy's 
     class of 1980 became the first woman of Japanese descent from 
     any military service to be promoted to flag officer;
       Whereas, on June 19, 2008, a member of the Academy's class 
     of 1982 became the first woman of Korean descent from any 
     military service to be promoted to flag officer;
       Whereas, in 2009, a member of the Academy's class of 2006 
     was the first woman Academy graduate killed by enemy action;
       Whereas, on June 21, 2010, the Academy's first woman Vice 
     Superintendent, and a member of the Academy's class of 1983, 
     took office;
       Whereas, on July 16, 2010, a graduate from the Academy's 
     class of 1984 became the first woman of Hispanic descent in 
     the United States Air Force to be promoted to flag officer;
       Whereas, on June 5, 2012, a member of the Academy's class 
     of 1980 became the first woman in the United States Air Force 
     to attain the rank of 4-star general;
       Whereas, in August 2013, a member of the Academy's class of 
     1981 became the first woman Superintendent of the Academy;
       Whereas, in August 2014, a member of the Academy's class of 
     1993 became the first woman to command a United States Air 
     Force bomb wing; and
       Whereas, between 1976 and 2016, 5,381 women were 
     commissioned through the Academy: Now, therefore, be it
       Resolved, That the Senate--
       (1) supports the designation of October 8, 2016, as ``40 
     Years of Women Cadets at the United States Air Force Academy 
     Day'';
       (2) commends the extraordinary accomplishments of the women 
     cadets and graduates of the United States Air Force Academy 
     in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the service to the United 
     States of those cadets and graduates; and
       (3) honors past, present, and future women who serve in the 
     United States Air Force.

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