6th Airlift Squadron women credit past female leaders for paving way

Published March 30, 2012
By 2nd Lt. David Murphy
Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst Public Affairs

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. -- Two service members from the 6th Airlift Squadron, 305th Air Mobility Wing participated in the Boeing Women in Leadership event March 20 at the Boeing facility in Ridley Park, Pa.

Capt. Emily Brand, a C-17 Globemaster III aircraft commander from Salem, Ore., and Staff Sgt. Christine M. Condoleon, an Instructor/Loadmaster from Livingston, N.J., spoke to Boeing employees about their experiences as women in the Air Force.

Brand discussed her life growing up and her reasons for joining the military.

Brand said meeting Sally Ride, the first American female astronaut, was a particularly influential moment in her life.

She wasn't sure what she wanted to do in the Air Force, but after researching the various career fields she decided becoming a pilot was right for her. She initially wanted to be a C-130 Hercules pilot, but eventually chose to fly C-17s.

One of the most powerful moments of her career was during a deployment. She was on the verge of leaving her deployed location to return to Germany where the command center called to notify her that they would soon receive some priority cargo. The "cargo" turned out to be a Solider who was recently hit by an improvised explosive device and needed to be transported to Germany.

"This was my first time doing an aeromedical evacuation, it was one Solider and we spent several hours reconfiguring the back of the aircraft to turn it into a flying hospital. All of this effort was done to get this one Solider to Germany where he could receive proper medical treatment," said Brand. "This was very powerful for me. The importance of the mission really comes through in moments like that."

Condoleon highlighted the events that led her to join the Air Force and become a loadmaster.

"I began to reassess what I wanted to do with my life after 9/11," said Condoleon.

She highlighted her experience in the Air Force as a woman saying she has never felt any less important or respected than her male counterparts. Condoleon attributes her positive experience to the women who came before her.

"The women before us who paved the way made it so much easier for us to transition," said Condoleon. "I have never faced any adversity as a woman in the Air Force. I feel like I get the same respect and am commended for doing a good job just as much as the person sitting next to me."

Col. John Roscoe, 305th Operations Group commander and Lt. Col. Doug Hall, 6th Airlift Squadron commander, also attended the event. Roscoe expressed the pride he felt in both women who spoke at the event and all the service members under his command.

"The Air Force really walks the walk and talks the talk and takes it to heart," Roscoe said. "It is important to the command that we tell our story and we express how much we value diversity."

The Boeing Women in Leadership event originated more than 10 years ago from a Boeing facility in Seattle, Wa., as a way for female women leaders to talk about their roles in the workforce.

The event also included tours of the both the H-47 Chinook and V-22 Osprey production facilities.

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