Team Moody is celebrating Women In Aviation Week through various activities March 7-13, 2022, culminating with a Youth Open House.

The 23rd Wing’s goal for WIA Week is to connect a younger generation to U.S. Air Force Airmen and inspire them for careers in airpower leading to a more diverse and effective Air Force in the future.

“Diversity and lethality go hand in hand,” said Capt. Elizabeth Eastman, 74th Fighter Squadron A-10C Thunderbolt II pilot. “If we have different people coming together, they will bring unique perspectives to solve problems. By creating new and unique ideas, we’re going to be able to solve these tactical problems that are being put in front of us in a much quicker, lethal way in combat.”

To inspire a more diverse future Air Force generation, female Airmen in aviation-related career fields will be visiting schools to engage with the youth.

“It really makes a big impact when you can go into a school, you can see somebody who was you 20 years ago, and you can relate to that person,” Eastman said. “You can inspire them to want to go to college, to want to have options available to them. It’s about exposing them to these experiences they maybe never thought of before and opening the world in a small community.”

Women In Aviation puts the spotlight on female Airmen dedicated to airpower in an effort to grow a demographic that currently makes up less than 20% of the force.

“Women are generally an underrepresented group overall in the armed forces,” said Col. Sean Baerman, 23rd Fighter Group commander and prior 98th Flying Training Squadron commander at the U.S. Air Force Academy. “What I realized at the academy, after talking to a lot of the cadets about flying … a lot of them grew up and didn’t realize that this is something they can do; and all it takes is one person to plant the seed.”

Moody AFB aims to plant that seed for children and youth in the South Georgia region by hosting a free Youth Open House showcasing airpower through air demonstrations, a Wings of Blue free-fall demonstration and more.

“We’ve got pretty much everything the attack and rescue side of Moody Air Force Base has to offer, right over the airfield,” Eastman said.

Additionally, the airfield will be lined with several aircraft static displays accompanied by their aircrew who are there to educate the youth on their expertise.

“It’s going to show pilots standing in front of their jets with their crew chiefs who are female, with their loadmasters who are female, or who are just of different backgrounds,” Eastman added. “You are going to see different people in this aviation-focused environment and it’s all here for the people of Valdosta, Moody Air Force Base, and people who support us, to help inspire the next generation.”

Visit the Moody AFB website for more information about Women In Aviation and the Youth Open House. Additionally, videos and articles will be published throughout the week on the Moody AFB social media pages, which can be found on the Moody AFB website’s homepage.