First woman to lead air campaign

by Airman 1st Class Alexander Riedel
Air Force News Service

3/30/2013 - FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- In early 2011, the world watched in horror as the aging dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi turned his weapons against his own people in what became a bloody civil war in the North African state of Libya. Soon, the Libyan army was bearing down on Benghazi, the second largest city in the country, threatening an estimated 700,000 civilians in its path to crush the rebellion.

In March 2011, NATO officials agreed to take control of a no-fly zone, limiting Gaddafi's air force, while at the same time targeting his ground units with coalition forces.

During the resulting Operation Odyssey Dawn, Maj. Gen. Margaret Woodward, then the 17th Air Force and U.S. Air Forces Africa commander, led the American air campaign, making her the first woman to oversee a U.S.-led air war -- a mission that came rather unexpected.

The 17th Air Force was a unit that supported humanitarian and peacekeeping missions in Africa. From the very beginning of what became known as the "Arab Spring," Woodward's command was involved in providing air support to North Africa, monitoring the unfolding situation and preparing to support the State Department with noncombatant evacuations and humanitarian assistance after political protests in Tunisia began in December 2010.

"These operations were important, not only because they helped provide relief for the people of North Africa, but also because they provided a very visible reminder of American resolve and concern," Woodward said.

As conditions deteriorated in Libya, AFAFRICA's mission quickly grew in scope and urgency because it called for a new, sustained no-fly zone, and included a mandate to protect civilians.

Despite the difficult task, and only days after the first jets took to the Libyan sky, Gaddafi's air defense system was successfully disabled.  The move effectively protected thousands of noncombatants in the area from indiscriminate air strikes and land raids.

From her headquarters in Germany, Woodward oversaw the operations via intelligence feeds and satellite communications, coordinating naval units and international cooperation, orchestrating units spread widely throughout Europe.

"This was not just a joint operation; it was also a coalition operation and one of the most challenging aspects of Odyssey Dawn involved coalition integration," Woodward said.

"The speed with which this coalition grew was extraordinary and presented a major integration challenge since each partner came with unique employment caveats. However, each partner also came with unique capabilities that made us much stronger than we would have been as individuals."

At its peak, the 17th Air Force grew to about 320 Airmen and civilians, while coordinating air operations across Africa and promoting air safety, security and development throughout the continent at a time of high tension.

"In fact, in just a two-month span, our Airmen planned five noncombatant evacuation operations for citizens in Tunisia, Cote D'Ivoire, Burkina Faso, Egypt and Libya," Woodward said. "Now, every one of these efforts was a test for a very lean command of only 300 people, but nothing was a greater test than the Operation Odyssey Dawn air campaign, the Air Force-led effort in Libya."

Woodward later said commanding the 17th Air Force was "The greatest privilege of my life."

For her part in the historic mission, Woodward was recognized as one of Time magazine's 100 most influential people in 2011.

But Woodward has been preparing for her role among the Air Force's top leaders for decades.

After her 1982 graduation from the Arizona State University, Woodward joined the Air Force, following in the footsteps of her grandfather who flew in World War I. She once said for as long as she can remember, she wanted to be in the pilot's seat. Yet, when she joined pilot training in 1983, women were not allowed fly fighter jets into combat.

Woodward, however, amassed more than 3,800 flight hours, mostly in tankers such as the KC-135 Stratotanker, which allowed her combat flights early on. She flew and commanded in operations Just Cause, Northern Watch, Southern Watch, Allied Force, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom, making her an expert authority in the practical use and application of air power.

"I was still smarting under the fact that I couldn't go fly a fighter, and women couldn't fly in combat. Thankfully, that changed over time," Woodward told the Tampa Tribune in a 2005 interview. "Generally, you're accepting of it, but there are times when it just all piles up on you, and you kind of lash out against it."

From 2007 to 2009 she was the first woman to command the 89th Airlift Wing at Joint Base Andrews, Md., home of Air Force One, and after less than three decades in her olive-drab flightsuit, Woodward led a whole air campaign into war.

"It has been an evolution," Woodward told CNN in 2011. "I remember in my early days, thanking the women that came before me, that flew in WWII and made it possible that women could fly. And I'd like to think that what we did in the early days of my generation made it possible for the women who are flying fighters today."

Leaving behind the air campaign in Africa, Woodward continued her commitment to the Air Force in a new assignment. On Sept. 17, 2012, she took on the responsibility for all Airmen's well-being as the Air Force's chief of safety.

Within weeks on the job, Woodward took on a battle of a different sort, leading the investigation into sexual misconduct charges against military training instructors at Joint-Base San Antonio-Lackland, Texas. The large-scale investigation included 215 in-depth interviews, surveyed more than 18,000 personnel and conducted focus groups with basic military trainees and training-instructor spouses.

Woodward's team produced 22 findings categorized into five major areas: leadership; MTI selection and manning; MTI training and development; misconduct reporting and detection; and policy and guidance -- as well as 46 recommendations to improve those areas.

"It is important to remember ... honorable men and women throughout the Air Force continue to serve every day with distinction," Woodward said in her final report. "These dedicated Airmen build our Air Force one person at a time and remain proud of their mission and themselves. Their efforts continue to produce the world's greatest fighting force."

Woodward's career is varied and has had impact on countless lives, yet she contributes it to being part of a strong team of Airmen she strives to protect as chief of safety.

"The thing that kept me in the Air Force is the folks I work with -- the people, the Airmen you are able to command," Woodward told the German magazine The Spiegel in 2011. "They are the most incredible people I can imagine. When you watch their dedication and their expertise -- there's no way to describe the emotion and the pride you feel. I'm just very proud to be part of a team like that."