Many Americans correlate national defense with the service members who wear the uniform. Under Secretary of the Air Force Melissa Dalton challenged audiences at the 2024 Women in Defense National Conference on Sept. 24, to think a step further.
"I think of defense as a triangle… it doesn't exist unless it has three sides," Dalton said. "In this case, defense comprises our men and women in uniform, those who serve in the career civil service, and the defense industrial base."
Dalton pointed out "American national security simply does not exist without that triangle intact," and sufficiently representing women is part of that.
"Much like a builder would not use only half of the lumber or nails required for a house, the defense triangle is fragile if only half the population is adequately represented in it," Dalton said.
"Our female Airmen and Guardians are operationally effective, they are resilient, and they are downright lethal - when we empower them to be," Dalton said.
Dalton emphasized women are one of the U.S.' competitive advantages as she took attendees on a journey through multiple Airmen and Guardians' careers and their impacts on real-world operations.
These anecdotes included stories like A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot retired U.S. Air Force Col. Kim Campbell's harrowing landing near Iraq after her aircraft took heavy enemy fire during a close air support mission; this occurred a full 12 years before the Department of Defense opened all combat roles to women.
Or the amazing story of retired U.S. Air Force Maj. Heather Penney, a woman who upheld the Air Force's core value of service before self as she flew her F-16 Fighting Falcon without munitions with full understanding that her mission was to use her aircraft to bring down the remaining hijacked airplane on 9/11 - the hijacked airplane crashed before she could execute that mission.
Or the quick thinking and decision making of U.S. Space Force Maj. Justine Pescetello-Parr when she and her team detected over a dozen intermediate range ballistic missiles headed for Al Asad Air Base in Iraq. The speed with which they sent the "just-in-time" warning saved hundreds of American lives when the missiles struck the base.
"Stories like these exist for several reasons," Dalton said. "First is a passion to serve, common to all these women. But second is the hard work being done by organizations within the Department to find barriers to service for our service members, groups like the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in Armed Services, or within my own department, the Air Force Barrier Analysis Working Groups like the Women's Initiatives Team."
Teams like the Women's Initiatives Team have played a large part in removing barriers to women serving, such as changing women's hair regulations, altering policies so pregnant women can choose to fly throughout their pregnancies on certain airframes, ensuring both parents can take parental leave after welcoming a new child, and requiring all units to provide sanitary lactation rooms.
Dalton noted, "The work is far from over. Identifying and removing the barriers to a woman's quality and longevity of service can be a thankless task for these thousands of volunteers. They-dare I say, 'we'-still have a long way to go."
As the DAF looks toward more integration in the future, it also must understand its roots.
"Standing on the shoulders of giants" is an often-heard refrain that pays homage to the greats who paved the way for change. Dalton, as Under Secretary of the Air Force, understands this and sees women as an integral part of the positive changes being made within the defense industrial complex.
"Across the instruments of national power, amazing women are serving at every echelon: as federal service employees, as contractors, and as volunteers to ensure that the lens through which we view national security has no blind spots," Dalton said. "By removing blind spots, I mean…a national security approach that is strengthened by the participation of women, and one that incorporates consideration of issues unique to women."
There is no doubt that women are involved with not only serving in and out of uniform, but also within the defense industrial base, which is made up of a vast network of facilities, organizations, and other resources that provide support to military operations.
Dalton sent a call to action for conference attendees: "Let's not ignore the overwhelming empirical evidence; let's embrace it. Let's not downplay the contribution women make to the strength of the defense triangle; let's break down the barriers getting in their way. Let's do all of this and more. Now. Together. Because to meet the moment in this era of Great Power Competition, we need everyone in the fight."
