The O Club was packed, and all the guys had been drinking heavily. Casey didn’t know anyone in this class, and there was one woman student. They were all very cocky and full of themselves with excitement. She saw Kathryn and Barb Arnau enter the back of the big room and maneuvered over to stand with them.
The wing commander, Colonel Johnson, walked up to the raised podium, put his hands up for quiet, and spoke into the microphone.
“Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Willie assignment night for class 93-01. This is one of my favorite events, and I know it’s an exciting night for the pilots in this class who’ve worked so hard to get here. Some of you may be disappointed with the flying assignment you get tonight. There are no bad airplanes in the U.S. Air Force, and each one has a very important mission. If you don’t get your first choice of airplane or base of assignment, I expect you all to behave like officers. Congratulations to each and every one of you. Now let’s open some envelopes!”
The air was crackling with anticipation as the first name was called. He was a captain wearing navigator wings and was the top-ranked student in his class. They flashed a picture of him on a big screen behind the podium. As he opened his envelope, they put up a picture of his new jet.
“F-15 to Kadena, Japan!” The room erupted in cheers as he jumped off the stage with a giant smile on his face and a fist pump in the air.
There were five students in the top ten percent of the class who were next. The second guy got an F-16 to Korea and the third person got a KC-10 air refueling tanker to Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. It was a beautiful, huge, new KC-10 painted in Air Force colors. Casey noticed whispers in the crowd because he didn’t ask for a fighter, but he got his first choice and was clearly thrilled. The happiness was contagious as everyone cheered and yelled, including the IPs.
After the top students got their jets, the rest of the class went up on stage one by one. The next guy got a B-52 bomber to Malmstrom, Montana, and he looked very relieved that he got any airplane. Casey suspected he was working his ass off just to not to get eliminated from pilot training. She overheard Barb tell Kathryn, “I never thought he’d get this far. I’m amazed he’s still in pilot training. He knows he’s damn lucky to get a bomber.”
Kathryn laughed and added, “The scary part is he’ll be flying a plane with nuclear weapons!”
The next guy got an F-4 fighter to Germany, and he was very happy. He was followed by a big guy with an even bigger swagger. He opened his envelope and got a T-37 to Laughlin AFB in Del Rio, Texas. He was clearly crushed. The rest of the assignments continued with a mixture of joy, relief, and some disappointments on the faces of the students. The only woman in the class walked across the stage and got a T-38 to Reese AFB in Lubbock, Texas, and she was overjoyed. At the end of the evening they put up a slide on the screen with all the assignments. Casey was surprised to see that only four of the IPs were going to Willie and the other four were going to pilot training bases in Texas, Oklahoma, and Mississippi.
“Why are there so many IPs going to other bases?” Casey asked Kathryn.
“Because the other pilot training bases can’t produce enough of their own IPs to fill their instructor slots. Willie has the highest number of fighter and IP qualified pilots in the Air Force, so we export a lot of pilots to be IPs at the other training bases.”
“Wow, I had no idea. What determines who gets sent to other pilot training bases?”
Barb chimed in. “Usually class rank. The higher-ranked pilots stay at Willie. In this class, Carol, the only woman, really wanted to be an IP in the T-38, and that was more important to her than staying at Willie. She wants to go to test pilot school and thinks the T-38 will help her get there even though women aren’t allowed to be test pilots.”
The wing commander returned to the stage to close the ceremonies.
“Well, this has been a great assignment night. For those of you who didn’t get your first choice, work hard in your next assignment, and you’ll eventually get where you want to be. I’m going to close with a very significant announcement. I just got the official word from the Secretary of the Air Force today. Congress has overturned the combat exclusion law barring women from flying combat aircraft. Therefore, starting with the next class, women pilots will now be eligible to fly fighter, bomber, attack, reconnaissance, and tactical airlift aircraft. Have a great evening and don’t drink too much.”
A collective rumble ran through the crowd at the wing commander’s big announcement. Casey overheard one of her classmates say, “Great. Now it will be even harder to get a fighter if they let those bitches fly them.” She was surprised to hear his comment. She’d previously thought he was a good guy. Clearly, he was no friend.
“Wow. That’s amazing, Kath. I wonder if they’ll let any of us cross-train into fighters?”
“I doubt it, Barb, but it would be nice to have the chance to try. I know some of the women pilots from the first classes who have been lobbying Congress for years to get the combat exclusion law overturned. I’m so proud of them.”
“Well, Casey, this change means doors are open to you that have so far been closed to all of us. Do you think you want to be the first woman fighter pilot?” Barb asked.
“I never thought that would be possible. I guess I have a lot to think about if I’m ranked high enough to even get one.” Casey got very quiet. She had a lot on her mind.
“Well, some of the women from the softball team are going to the Incognito Lounge in Phoenix tonight if you guys are interested in coming.” Barb looked anxious to leave.
“Sorry, I can’t tonight. Thanks anyway,” Kathryn answered.
“Me either. Maybe some other time.” Casey was ready to leave, but she wanted to talk to Kathryn alone.
Casey whispered to Kathryn, “Can we go somewhere and talk?”
“Let’s go out to the parking lot. Everyone is going to stay here and get hammered tonight.”
Out of view in the shadow of a tree, they stood close together.
“What do you think about requesting a fighter? Do you think I should do that?” Casey asked.
“If it was me, I’d try to get more information before deciding. None of us women pilots really know what it’s like to fly in a fighter squadron. You’d be breaking new ground. It’s a very different culture than flying in a tanker squadron. Maybe you should talk to Bulldog about it. He knows fighter life better than anyone.”
“I think I will talk to him. What would that mean for you and me? There are very few bases in the world that have both fighters and tankers, but would you want to fly the KC-135 again? I’m more confused than ever now.” Casey looked really distressed.
Kathryn reached out to take Casey’s hand. “I will eventually get sent back to the tanker whether I want it or not. It’s just a matter of when.” She was thinking about her school assignment to Alabama for a year, then the Pentagon. Maybe I should tell her now.
“I think it would be amazing to be one of the first women to fly a fighter, but I really want to be where you are too. I guess I have a lot to figure out. Do you want to be stationed where I am? Maybe I’m getting way ahead of myself.”
Kathryn could hear doubt in her voice.
“Casey, we both have a lot to figure out right now. You have two weeks before you have to put in your assignment request sheet, so let’s hold off on any big decisions for a while.” Kathryn could sense her resolve slipping away. She had to talk to Casey about her promotion and school, but she didn’t want to add to her confusion right now. The right time would come and she’d tell Casey everything—just not now.
“I’d really like to kiss you good night right now.” She squeezed Kathryn’s hand.
“Me too, Casey, me too. Good night.” She blew her a feeble air-kiss.
Casey took off across the parking lot toward her quarters.
Kathryn saw a small group of Casey’s classmates call out to her as they emerged from the O Club. “So, Tompkins, you putting in for an F-16 or an F-15?”
“Maybe both!” she yelled back at them.
“Crap. We thought you’d fill one of our IP slots for us!”
“Well, I guess you’ll just have to fly better than me if you want a fighter, won’t you!” She was laughing as she ran the rest of way to her quarters building.