Vaught, Wilma L.

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Wilma L. Vaught

U.S. Air Force Brigadier General Wilma L. Vaught (born 1930) is one of the most highly decorated women to serve in the United States military. Vaught has led the way for other women to succeed in a career with the U.S. armed forces, and through her efforts as president of the Women's Memorial Foundation board of directors, she has helped to create the Women in Military Service for America Memorial.

Born March 15, 1930, in Pontiac, Illinois, Vaught grew up in the small, rural town of Scotland, Illinois, the oldest of two daughters in a farming family. She grew up working hard, and dreamed of having a tough job that would allow her to be in charge. She attended the University of Illinois and graduated in 1952 with a bachelor of science degree.

Chose a Military Career

Although she quickly found a job in the corporate sector, Vaught found out just as quickly that, at the time, there was no possibility of any real managerial advancement for a woman. After reading a recruiting appeal for the U.S. Army that promised to give all recruits the opportunity to become a manager and supervisor, she decided to join the military, and chose the Air Force. As Vaught recalled to Allison Fabian in Good Housekeeping, "I'd always wanted a job that would led me be in charge, so as soon as I found out I could get a direct commission as a second lieutenant, I chose to join."

Vaught was commissioned as a second lieutenant in January of 1957, and completed the Officer's Basic Military Training Course at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. After this, she spent three months studying at the Statistical Services Officers' Course at Sheppard Air Force Base, also in Texas. In September of 1957, she was assigned to the 805th Air Base Group at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana, as chief of the Data Services branch. She also commanded the Women in the Air Force Squadron Section. From April of 1959 to April of 1963, Vaught served at Zaragoza Air Base in Spain as chief of the Management Analysis Division, 3974th Combat Support Group.

Vaught then returned to the United States and was assigned to the 306th Combat Support Group at McCoy Air Force Base in Florida. There, she served as chief of the Management Analysis Division for the 306th Bombardment Wing. During this period Vaught became the first woman to deploy with a Strategic Air Command operational unit when she served a temporary tour of duty as executive officer and chief of the Management Analysis Division, 4133rd Provisional Bombardment Wing at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, during Operation ARC Light.

Served in Vietnam

Vaught studied business administration at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa from June of 1967 to September of 1968, earning her master's degree. In the following year, she served as a management analyst in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller, Military Assistance Command in Saigon, Vietnam. While in Saigon, she experienced rocket strikes that hit less than two blocks from her quarters. Vaught told Fabian that, during the rocket strikes, she did not feel fear. "I'd gone over with the idea that I wouldn't come back alive, and I accepted it."

At the same time she worked near the front lines, Vaught was also caught in a more subtle war zone; as a woman in the military, she was constantly dealing with antagonism, limitations, and doubts about her abilities that were imposed by her male colleagues. Although women's position in the U.S. military had improved through the previous few decades, it still had far to go. Vaught was outspoken about the controversial issue of women serving in the armed forces, telling Fabian, "Women are already in combat, so when people argue about whether they should be permitted to carry weapons, they're really asking whether the military should let women be fired at but not be able to fire back."

In 1967 Vaught and other military women were given new horizons of opportunity when President Lyndon B. Johnson signed into law a measure that allowed women to be promoted to the level of generals and admirals. The new law also removed the quotas that had previously been placed on women to limit the number of servicewomen who could reach other ranks; thus, it allowed women a whole range of new career opportunities in the military.

After completing her year-long tour of duty in Vietnam, Vaught was assigned to Headquarters Air Force Logistics Command at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, as chief of the Advanced Logistics Systems Plans and Management Group. She remained there until July of 1972, and the following month became the first female officer to attend the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.

From July through November of 1977 Vaught served in the Directorate of Management Analysis, Office of the Comptroller, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, in Washington, D.C. She was chief of the Cost Factors Branch and later served as chief of the Security Assistance Division. After this, she was assigned to Air Force Systems Command Headquarters, where she was director of programs and budget in the Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff, Comptroller. She became the deputy chief of staff in this office in March of 1980.

During her career, Vaught also served as chair of NATO's Women in the Allied Forces Committee and was the senior woman military representative to the Secretary of Defense's Advisory Committee on Women in the Service.

Became a Brigadier General

On September 8, 1980, Vaught became the first woman in the comptroller field to become a brigadier general; her father attended the ceremony and pinned the star on her shoulder. In 1982 she was appointed commander of the U.S. Military Entrance Processing Command headquartered at Great Lakes, Illinois.

Vaught retired in 1985, one of only three female generals in the U.S. Air Force and one of seven female generals in the U.S. Armed Forces. During her career she received numerous military honors, including the Defense and Air Force Distinguished Service Medals, the Air Force Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star, and the Vietnam Service Award with four stars. In addition, she was the first woman to command a unit that received the Joint Meritorious Unit Award. Vaught was also the only woman in history ever to serve as president of the board of directors of the Pentagon Federal Credit Union, a position she held from April of 1976 to July of 1982. In 2000 she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame.

Spearheaded Women's Memorial Project

After retiring, Vaught became president of the Women's Memorial Foundation board of directors, and in this position began working on a new project: the establishment of a memorial to honor women in U.S. military service. At the time, many observers doubted that she would be able to raise enough money for the project. However, as Ann Darr wrote in U.S. News and World Report, "General Vaught is a determined woman and she vowed to put the memorial in place in time for the remaining WWII veterans to be alive to see it."

The foundation raised over $20 million for the memorial, which was designed and built largely by women. One of its notable features is a computer database that includes names, photographs, biographical information, and career histories and awards of women veterans. Visitors can enter a name into a computer terminal and find information on the military career of a friend, loved one, or historical figure. Although there are about 1.8 military women whose careers could be recorded in the memorial, only a small fraction of them have been entered so far, as the register is open not only to those who have completed their careers, but also to those who are currently serving in the military. Because the foundation itself does not have access to military records, the information must be collected and entered by volunteers. The foundation runs a Web site, where women can register their careers, and also features an "In Search Of" page that holds listings from people looking for information on women veterans they would like to reconnect with. Vaught noted on the organization's Web site that, unfortunately, many women veterans mistakenly believe they are not important enough to be included in the registry: "Most people don't have any idea how many women served in the military," she noted, adding that "Many women have not understood the importance of what they did in the military service until they see something that makes them realize that what they did was really significant."

In addition to creating the memorial, the foundation also created the Margaret Chase Smith Leadership Award, which is given each year to women who open opportunities for women in the American military. The award was created in honor of Margaret Chase Smith, a senator from Maine who introduced legislation that allowed women to participate equally with men in military service.

On October 16, 1997, the Women in Military Service for America Memorial, which now stands at the main gate to the Arlington National Cemetery, was dedicated; the ceremony was attended by generations of women veterans and their supporters. A reporter for the U.S. Army's Voice online wrote, "The Women's Memorial stands as a place where the American people and visitors from around the world can learn of the courage and bravery of tens of thousands of women who, like Wilma Vaught, have pioneered the future."