America 250: Jeannie Flynn
Jeannie Flynn soared to new heights as the first woman in U.S. Air Force history to qualify to fly the F-15.
Jeannie Flynn, now known as Jeannie Leavitt, was the first woman in U.S. Air Force history to qualify as a fighter pilot for combat. She began her military career at Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas in 1992, graduating at the top of her class and earning the ATC Commander鈥檚 Trophy. After the Department of Defense lifted restrictions on women in combat aviation, she selected the F-15E Strike Eagle and completed training in 1994. In 1998, she became the first woman to graduate from the Air Force Weapons School鈥檚 fighter track. Over her career, she commanded a flying squadron and later became the first woman to command a U.S. Air Force fighter wing. She was promoted to brigadier general in 2016 and major general in 2019.