Gail Adams (b. 1951) of Cary, North Carolina, served in the United States Air Force from 1970 to 1993 in a wide range of capacities: traffic manager, professional military educator, Titan II nuclear missile commander and instructor, and public affairs officer. Gail Adams was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, in 1951, and lived in various locations throughout the United States and Europe after her mother remarried a United States Air Force pilot. After graduation from secondary school, Adams worked several jobs before deciding to enlist in the air force in 1970. Adams was initially assigned to a position in traffic management at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, where she arranged air transport for soldiers headed to Vietnam. In 1972, she was reassigned to Rhein-Main Air Base outside of Frankfurt, Germany. Adams was later assigned to Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. After several years of night classes, Adams received a bachelor's in Industrial Technology from Southern Illinois University. Upon earning her BS, she applied for training as a professional military educator at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama, and was retained as an instructor upon graduation." <p.In 1982, after serving as a professional military educator, Adams was accepted into the Officer Training School at Medina Air Force Base, Texas. Upon receiving her officer's commission, Adams trained to become a missile launch officer on the Titian II intercontinental nuclear ballistic missile system. Adams then served as a deputy crew commander at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and later became a full crew commander. She later worked as an instructor, and then the commander of an instructor crew: a position that she would hold until 1986. Adams also earned a master's degree in Operations Management while serving in the Titian II program. Adams was next assigned to the role of section commander at Andrews Air Force Base, Maryland. While serving at this post she was selected to become deputy director of public affairs, and attended the Defense Information School at Fort Benjamin, Indiana. Adams was later reassigned to Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, to fill a vacancy created by Operation Desert Shield, where she served as director of public relations. While stationed in North Carolina, she met her husband, and, in 1993, retired as a captain from the air force. Adams worked for Carolina Power and Light until her retirement.
