Terry Gabreski

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Terry Walter Gabreski
TWGabreski.jpg
Lieutenant General Terry Walter Gabreski
Allegiance  United States of America
Service/branch  United States Air Force
Years of service 1974 – 2010
Rank Lieutenant General
Commands held Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center
Battles/wars Operation Allied Force
Awards Air Force Distinguished Service Medal
Defense Superior Service Medal
Legion of Merit (2)
Relations Gabby Gabreski

Lieutenant General Terry Walter Gabreski was the first female officer to hold the rank of Lieutenant General in the United States Air Force (USAF).[1] She was the Vice Commander, Air Force Materiel Command,[2] Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, which conducts research, development, test and evaluation, and provides acquisition management and logistics support necessary to keep Air Force weapon systems ready for war. She is the daughter of retired Air Force Brigadier General Alonzo Walter[1][3] and the daughter-in-law of World War II and Korean War fighter ace Colonel Gabby Gabreski.[1] She was the U.S. Air Force's highest-ranking woman until being succeeded on 2010 January 1 by Lt. Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger.

Contents

[edit] Education

After completing her Bachelor of Arts degree in history at Louisiana State University, Gabreski joined the United States Air Force and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1974 from the Air Force Officer Training School. She later received a Master of Public Administration degree from Golden Gate University in 1978. General Gabreski also attended the Executive Program for Senior Officials in National Security which was conducted in 1994 by the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass and the General Manager Program, Harvard Business School, Cambridge, Mass in 2002.[4][5]

In 1983 she was selected as the USAF Aircraft Maintenance Company Grade Officer of the Year and was awarded the Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award in 1999 as recognition for her top-level Air Force management skills.[4][6]

[edit] Assignments

Prior to her final assignment, General Gabreski also served as commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center at Tinker Air Force Base[2] (December 2003 - August 2005), which was the first Air Force installation to implement National Security Personnel System (NSPS),[2] as Director of Logistics, Headquarters Air Force Materiel Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio (August 2001 - December 2003) and as Director of Maintenance for the Deputy Chief of Staff for Installations and Logistics at Headquarters U.S. Air Force (January 2000 - August 2001).[4]

Other than these assignments she directed two aircraft maintenance units, served as a squadron maintenance supervisor in three units, commanded three maintenance squadrons and a logistics group and served at the Air Staff, Secretary of the Air Force and Joint Staff levels.[4]

Gen. Gabreski also served as one of the original female Air Training Officers charged with mentoring the first female cadets of the U.S. Air Force Academy.[7] Then-Lt. Gabreski served in this role from January 1976 to September 1977 for the Class of 1980 female cadets.[8]

[edit] Operational activities and achievements

During Operation Allied Force in the 1999 air war against Yugoslavia, General Gabreski directed logistics efforts as the A-4 for the air war across the entire theater. Prior to her current position, she was Commander of the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, Tinker AFB, Okla. She holds a master aircraft maintenance badge and a basic parachute rating.[4][5]

Lt. Gen. Terry Gabreski (right), Air Force Materiel Command vice commander, and Lt. Col. Dale Parsons, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School director of special courses, discuss the general's F-16 flight.

[edit] Medals

[edit] Effective dates of promotions

[edit] See also

Portal icon United States Air Force portal

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c "Columbus Ohio to celebrate Air Force Heritage Week". United States Air Force. Air Force Link. http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?storyID=123042375. Retrieved 15 May 2007. . Her spouse is Col. Donald F. Gabreski.
  2. ^ a b c "Critical mission: assessing spiral 1.1 of the national security personnel system". Department of the Air Force (United States Senate). 2006-09-20. Archived from the original on 2007-06-14. http://web.archive.org/web/20070614103806/http://hsgac.senate.gov/_files/092006Gabreski.pdf. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
  3. ^ Langlois, Kelli. "Grad makes history following father's military footsteps". Louisiana State University. http://www.lsu.edu/lsutoday/990409/pageone.html. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "Biography: Lieutenant General Terry Walter Gabreski". United States Air Force (Air Force Link). 2007-05. Archived from the original on 2007-06-13. http://web.archive.org/web/20070613181714/http://www.af.mil/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5475. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
  5. ^ a b "Member Details: Terry Walter Gabreski". Delta Delta Delta Fraternity. 2005. http://www.tridelta.org/alumnae/Distinguished_Alumnae/distinguished_deltas/directory_detail.asp?blobID=4089. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
  6. ^ "ASC award winners Eugene M. Zuckert Management Award". 2002-01-11. http://www.ascho.wpafb.af.mil/birthplace/AWARD6.HTM. Retrieved 2007-06-24. 
  7. ^ http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/12/airforce_academywomen_honored_120808/
  8. ^ http://www.af.mil/information/bios/bio.asp?bioID=5475

[edit] External links

Notable Women General and Flag Officers in the U.S. Military
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