Kathryn Wirkus Collection

Details

Who's responsible?: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries (Repository)
How much has been digitized?: Only a part of this collection has been digitized.
Where can I find more information?: https://uncg.as.atlas-sys.com/repositories/2/resources/1179
What's in the full collection?: November 2007 oral history transcript; white mess dress jacket; blouse; skirt; cummerbund; necktie; studs and epaulets; copies of photographs; 7 postcards and letters from friends and family; 1978; Assignment list; Commander's Call; Command's for flight DPR; retirement ceremony invitation January 6; 2006; weekly training schedules during officers' training school; 1978; Officer Training School graduation Program 29 September 1978; Program for Officer Training School "Dining In" 1978; Women Warriors: A Vision of Valor" DVD ; 2014; Kathryn Wirkus; Executive Producer.
Full biography: Lt. Col. Kathryn Wirkus of Miami, Florida, served in the United States Air Force from 1978 to 2006. Kathryn F. Wirkus was born and raised in Miami, Florida. She graduated from Coral Gables Senior High School in 1970 and went on to attend the University of North Carolina at Greensboro [UNCG]. She graduated in 1974 with a degree in childhood education and returned to Miami, where she taught kindergarten for a year. In 1976 Wirkus returned to UNCG to work towards a master's degree in communication and broadcast journalism, and was employed with the Greensboro magazine "This Week in the Triad". Wirkus enlisted in the air force and attended Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in summer of 1978. Her first assignment was to the Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps Headquarters at Maxwell-Gunter Air Force Base, where she worked in the ROTC office scheduling cadets and writing curriculum for two years. Wirkus was then transferred to Headquarters, Air Force Office of Special Investigations in Washington, D.C., where she worked as an education training officer. She was next stationed at Kirtland Air Force Base in New Mexico as the education training officer for the 1550 Combat Crew Training Wing. After being passed over for promotion to major, she left the air force and joined the Air National Guard. She married Tom Lott, an air force security forces officer, and worked as a juvenile probation officer in downtown Albuquerque. During this time she underwent treatment for kidney cancer and earned a master's degree in guidance and counseling. Next, she and her husband moved to Norton Air Force Base, San Bernardino, California, where Wirkus as a served social actions officer on base and later worked as a Spanish-English teacher for an elementary school. Eighteen months later, she and her husband moved to Little Rock, Arkansas, and she went inactive for a year. When the couple moved to March Air Force Base in California, Wirkus worked in a reserve position as the Individual Mobilization Augmentee. She was sent to Panama Canal and worked at Howard Air Force Base as the Air Force Reserve Program Manager for Headquarters United States Southern Command. In 1997, when the United States Southern Command relocated to Miami, Wirkus returned to active duty as Air Force Reserve Program Manager." In 1999, she transferred to the Air Reserve Personnel Center in Denver, Colorado, where she worked as the chief of career management in the directorate of assignments for the air force reserve. From October 2002 to March 2003, Wirkus was deployed to BogotÃ¡, Columbia, as deputy for the training mission. Her last assignment was as program manager for the Air Force Reserve at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Wirkus retired from the United States Air Force in April 2006.
Topics: Women's History
Military
Schools and Colleges
Branch of service: Air Force
Conflict: Post-Vietnam, Panama, Grenada (1975-1989)
Subject headings: United States--History--1945-
United States. Air Force
Contributing Institution: Martha Blakeney Hodges Special Collections and University Archives, UNCG University Libraries

Pages

: 1st lieutenant representative in the flag folding ceremony, circa 2005; The 1st lieutenant representative performing the flag folding ceremony at Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus' retirement ceremony, circa 2005.

: 2nd lieutenant and 1st lieutenant representatives in the flag folding ceremony, circa 2005; The 2nd lieutenant passes the flag to the 1st lieutenant representative in the flag folding ceremony at Lieutenant Colonrl Kathryn Wirkus' retirement ceremony, circa 2005.

: 2nd lieutenant representative in the flag folding ceremony, circa 2005; The 2nd lieutenant representative performs the flag folding ceremony at Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus' retirement ceremony, circa 2005.

: Air force members in mess dress uniform; Fahim Ideas, Kathy Jackson, Kathryn Wirkus, and Robert Brodner pose for a photo before the "Dining In" formal dinner at Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. All wear the air force mess dress uniform with white summer jacket.

: Audit after graduation parade, 1978; Members of the Fifth Squadron during the audit after their graduation parade at Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. The squadron referred to the pictured classroom as the "blue bedroom" because of its blue walls and the tendency of service members to fall asleep there.

: Captain Jennifer Suarez in flag folding ceremony, circa 2005; Captain Jennifer Suarez as a representative in the flag folding ceremony at Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus' retirement ceremony, circa 2005.

: Colonel Patricia Quisenberry, circa 2005; Colonel Patricia Quisenberry presiding over Kathryn Wirkus' retirement from the air force, circa 2005. Quisenberry had been Wirkus' supervisor at the U.S. Air Force Academy.

: Dianna Fleek and Kathryn Wirkus, 1978; Kathryn Wirkus poses in her FIGMO (Finally I Got My Orders) shirt at Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. Posing beside Wirkus is Diana Fleek, the underclassman who made the shirt. The images on the shirt highlight some of the things that happened during OTS. Fleek wears a red t-shirt with the OTS shield on it, possibly a part of an exercise uniform.

: Ed Edwards and family, 1978; Technical Sergeant Ed Edwards, wife Kathy Corcoran Edwards, and son Mike pose together at Kathryn Wirkus' commissioning ceremony at Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. The Edwards were childhood family friends.

: Ed Edwards salutes Kathryn Wirkus; Kathryn Wirkus and her childhood friend, Technical Sergeant Ed Edwards, salute each other following Wirkus' commissioning ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. Edwards earned the traditional reward of a silver dollar for being the first enlisted person to salute a her as an officer. Edwards, who was also stationed at Lackland,"was extremely helpful in guiding and mentoring me through OTS, learning the ways of the AF and AF test-taking!" They stand in front of a static aircraft.

: Elizabeth Orie and Therese Robinson in flag folding ceremony; Major Elizabeth Orie passes a flag to retired Lieutenant Colonel Therese Robinson at the retirement ceremony of Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus, circa 2005. The women represent Wirkus' last two ranks during her air force career.

: Female OTS participants in fatigues; Air Force members (l to r) Kathryn Wirkus, Kay Hansen, and Kathy Jackson are pictured in their newly-received fatigues during Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in July of 1978. Wirkus uses masking tape for her nametag because she was not previously enlisted in the air force. About the photo, she notes that they were "showing how goofy we were and how tired."

: Female officers perform the flag folding ceremony; A folded flag is passed to Captain Jennifer Suarez from a first lieutenant at the retirement ceremony of Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus, circa 2005. The women represent two of Wirkus' five ranks during her air force career.

: Fifth Squadron at commissioning; Members of the Fifth Squadron pose together at their commissioning ceremony at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, in 1978. Pictured are (L to R) David Pace, Stephen Kaumans, Kathryn Wirkus, Bill Black, and Steve Torrence.

: Fifth Squadron in FIGMO shirts; The "Fighting Fifth" Squadron pose together in their FIGMO (Finally I Got My Orders) shirts during the final week of Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in 1978. The hand-made shirts highlight some of the events from the squadron's time at OTS. Pictured (Standing, L to R) are: Bill Meador, Fahim Ideas, Denise Hand, Bill Black, Kathy Jackson, Robert Bronder, Bill McKenzie, Steven Torrence, Captain Vance Reynolds, Kathryn Wirkus, and Stephen Kaumans. Seated, L to R are: David Pace, Christopher Geib, Kay Hansen, and Stephen Patterson.

: Fifth Squadron on commissioning day; The entire Fifth Squadron of Officer Candidate School at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, poses for a group photo on their commissioning day before taking the oath of office, in 1978. They still wear the OTS shoulder boards on their service dress uniform.

: Flag folding; A member of the honor guard performs the flag folding at Lieutenant Colonel Kathryn Wirkus' retirement ceremony, circa 2005. Wirkus sits in the background.

: Flag folding ceremony; A folded flag is handed to the first of five officers representing " Kathryn Wirkus' five rank promotions during her retirement ceremony, circa 2005. Pictured are the officers representing 2nd lieutenant and 1st lieutenant.

: Four Air Force officers at commissioning parade; Colonel Alain Boughton, the wing commander; Kathryn Wirkus; reviewing officer Major General Robert Malloy; and Bill Black pose on the tarmac at Lackland Air Force Base after the final parade and commissioning ceremony of Officer Training School in 1978.

: Hat toss after graduation parade; The Fifth Squadron toss their hats at the end of the parade to celebrate their graduation from Officer Training School at Lackland Air Force Base in 1978. Behind them, several units still in formation can be seen.

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Women Veterans Historical Project

Kathryn Wirkus Collection

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