“As a former U.S. Air Force Colonel, Weeks knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot from a very young age. Now, Senior Manager of Integrated Weapons Systems at Collins Aerospace, Weeks reflected on her career and how she overcame many obstacles along the way. In this latest podcast, she shared with us why representation matters and how it will pave the path to future diversity in leadership and innovation in the modern battlespace.”

“Picking up where we left off: Col Weeks retired after serving as the Commander of the 14th Flying Training Wing, Team BLAZE, in Columbus, MS. We discuss the work still needed to recruit and retain more female aviators, discuss that self-care is not selfish, and share advice with those looking to pursue careers in the US Air Force.”

“From realizing she wanted to fly fighter jets at a young age to flying with the USAF Thunderbirds to commanding an Air Force Flying Wing, Samantha “Combo” Weeks has done it all and much more. Currently retired from active duty Air Force, living and working in Colorado with her husband and two young boys, Sam joins us to share her stories and share advice with all of us, especially the next generation of aviators looking to join us in the skies. We discuss being bold, growing grit and the work yet to be done.”

“The first female Air Force Thunderbird solo pilot, Samantha Weeks tells us how to be bold. At the age of 6, she was told girls can’t be fighter pilots, but that did not stop her from pursuing her dream. She is an Air Force Academy graduate (in my class!), fighter pilot in the F-15 and F-16, former Wing commander, and PhD in Philosophy. She is now retired and is a member of Athena’s Voice USA – an organization of female fighter aviators that helps women accomplish their career and life goals.”

“Simon Sinek, British-born American author and motivational speaker who has done work with the RAND Corp., said, “There is tremendous value in serving.” Sinek said he has known some leaders with hard personalities, but their people adore them because they put the interest of their people first. Sinek ended by saying, “Make your ‘yeses’ have an impact and take care of each other.” (”First-Ever Virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In Boldly Leads The Way”)

Gen. Lori Robinson is the first female officer in the history of the United States Armed Forces to command a major Unified Combatant Command. “Robinson used a majority of her time to address questions from the audience, which included topics from her biggest leadership challenge, choosing mentors, conscious and unconscious bias challenges, combating perceptions while staying true to oneself, and how the Air Force can move forward with protecting people.” (”First-Ever Virtual Air Force Women’s Fly-In Boldly Leads The Way”)

“Columbus Air Force Base hosted the first-ever Air Force Virtual Women’s Fly-In during a Facebook Live event, May 11. ‘The vision of the original event was to connect aviatrices and build a supportive network to grow our diverse and inclusive force, as well as connect our operators with their long blue line and origin in the Women Airforce Service Pilots of World War II,’ said Col. Samantha Weeks, 14th Flying Training Wing commander and lead organizer of the event.”

“Col. Samantha Weeks, commander of the 57th Adversary Tactics Group at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, said the gear has improved since she started flying in 1997, but more still needs to be done. ‘When you go back and look historically, the last time that we really had a major update to medical standards was in the 1960s,” Weeks told Air Force Times, referencing that anthropometric data must be updated.’”

“University of Oklahoma alumna Col. Samantha Weeks knew at age 6 she wanted to be a fighter pilot. The calling was clear from the day she witnessed the in-flight refueling of an F-111 Aardvark as her family flew home from overseas on a KC-135 Stratotanker.”

“Since 1953, the United States Air Force Thunderbirds have awed more than 300 million people around the world with their breathtaking precision aerial maneuvers. Up until last year, men have always controlled the cockpits of those six powerful red, white and blue F-16s, taking the aircraft through the thrilling diamond and solo performances. But now, although air show audiences may not realize it, two of those fighter jets are piloted by women — and they are both Ninety-Nines.”