As the saying goes, she disguised herself in mens cloths and, giving herself the name George Baker, went undetected through the physical exams to become a member of the Marine guard on the vessel the Constitution. Here she saw some of the bloodiest sea fights of the war of 1812. She wanted to join the toughest outfit, so she called a Marine recruiter and told them she wanted to be a combat pilot, joining as an Officer Candidate in October 1998. Answering the Call is a monthly series of short articles by prominent men and women discussing the impact of their time in the military on their later lives. In 2011, her book Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter was published. Vernice Armour. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. She became the Marine Corps' first African-American female pilot. A gutsy trailblazer, her resume is an impressive collection of firsts including Americas first Black female combat pilot. Copyright 2022. "I was like, 'Oh yeah, I wanna go to Mardi Gras!'" she laughs. [1][3], Armour graduated from MTSU in 1997. Vernice flew above the deserts of Iraq in her missile-equipped attack helicopter, engaging the enemy and scouting the roads from her cockpit, making sure they were safe for her fellow Marines and soldiers on the ground. My stepdad had been a Marine, with three tours in Vietnam; my father had retired from the Army Reserve as a major; and in World War II, my grandfather was a Montford Point Marine -- a segregated unit that contained the first Black men in the Corps. She graduated from MTSU in December of 1997 with her B.S. Vernice was born in Chicago, IL in 1973, and moved to Memphis, TN after her parents divorced when she was three. She is currently working on her next book, The Gutsy Move. Now why didnt I think of that! was her first thought! What clients are saying. My childhood dream was to be a mounted police officer and ride a horse downtown. Back in the states at Marine Corps headquarters, I entered a new world as a diversity officer and a liaison to the Pentagon. She is from United States. Both her father and her stepfather had served in the military - Gaston Armour was a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserves, and Clarence Jackson was a former Marine Corps sergeant that served three tours in Vietnam. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. It took me two years, but I finally booked you. Armour was born in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois to Gaston Armour Jr. and Authurine Armour. Structural Info Facts Known for movies Tavis Smiley 2007 as Herself Source IMDB Vernice 'Flygirl' Armour, the first African American female combat pilot, stands in front of a helicopter. Natasha Smith. After her parents divorced, Clarence Jackson married Authurine. When the Marine Corps Reserve allowed women to join, she was the very first one in line to enlist on August 13, 1918. I joined the Marines. Women Warriors Alene Duerk, Rear Admiral, U.S. Navy. Gaston Armour was a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserve, and Clarence Jackson was a former Marine Corps sergeant that served three tours in Vietnam. [2], Armour's association with the SuperCobra attack helicopter earned her the nickname "Flygirl. Just as impressively, Salinas has a bachelors degree in history as well as a masters degree from the Naval War College. [2], In 1996, she took time off from college to become a Nashville police officer (her childhood dream). Vernice Armour was born in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois to Gaston Armour Jr. and Authurine Armour. Vernice FlyGirl Armours story has been featured in the media including on CNN, MSNBC, The View, FOX News, Oprah Winfrey and many more, along with being a running back for the San Diego Sunfire professional womens football team and two-time title holder of Camp Pendletons Strongest Warrior Competition. Restaurants are saluting Veterans Day with free meals and discounts for veterans, service members and their families. However, she took a break from college to follow her childhood dream of becoming a police officer. In 1993, while a student at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Armour enlisted in the U.S. Army Reserve and later entered into the U.S. Army's ROTC. Though little is known about this last woman on our list today of famous women Marines, Ruth Wood has earned her place here as the first of the Women Marine Reservists to serve at the headquarters of the Marine Corps in Washington in 1943. Enjoy savings on dining, travel and more all year long with your AARP membership! Now why didnt I think of that! was her first thought! During an Army ROTC career day, the seed of becoming a pilot was planted when Vernice saw the image of a young Black female in an Army flight suit. Acknowledge the obstacles and "make it happen." [] Read More. in Physical Education: Emphasis in Exercise Science. You can unsubscribe at any time. Not sure ho, Meet Major General Marcia Anderson. Receive notifications of new posts by email. She became the first female African-American on the motorcycle squad. We flew close air-support and convoy escorts in AH-1W SuperCobras, spending the night at forward operating bases in hostile territory. Vernice Armour's net worth Which Branch Of The Military Should I Join? Making History While Serving. In June of 1996, after a brief stint as a Nashville Sheriffs Department correctional officer, Vernice took a break from college to accept an invitation to the Nashville Police Academy. After flight school, Armour was assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California for training in the AH-1W SuperCobra. With the aviation seed in full bloom, Vernice was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps on December 12, 1998 and on her way to flight school. She graduated from MTSU in December of 1997 with her B.S. After her parents divorced, Clarence Jackson married Authurine. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. Required fields are marked *. By the age of four, she knew she wanted to be a police officer that rode a horse downtown. I'm immensely proud of having been able to serve my country, and thankful for having joined the Corps. VERNICE FLYGIRL ARMOUR HISTORICAL FLIGHT PATH. The year after she retired she was awarded the Legion of Merit for her work as director, and later she was awarded the American Campaign Medal and the World War II Victory Medal as well. How did it all start? Leaving the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2007, Armour began a career as a professional speaker and expert on creating breakthroughs in life. Acknowledge the obstacles. I served two combat tours in Operation Iraqi Freedom -- eight months the first time and seven months the second -- and was recognized by the Defense Department for a second achievement: becoming the nation's first Black female combat pilot. Your email address will not be published. Today, Armour is a motivational speaker and author and one of the faces of a new campaign aimed at recognizing the contributions of women. [1] Her grandfather was a Montford Point Marine, the first African Americans to integrate the Marine Corps between 1942 and 1949. After flight school, Armour was assigned to the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California to train in the AH-1W SuperCobra. Back in those days most places would separate blacks from whites and this made some things complicated. With that said, there is actually more to her story than that. We will update Vernice Armour's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. Her grandfather, too, was a Marine. By signing up for this guide, you agree to receive email communications from VerniceArmour.com. Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour is a former police officer and America's first African-American female combat pilot who completed two combat tours in the Gulf. Both her father and her stepfather had served in the military - Gaston Armour was a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserve, and Clarence Jackson was a former Marine Corps sergeant that served three tours in Vietnam. When she finally worked her way up to Warrant Officer it was by the recommendation of the Secretary of the Navy himself and there were only ten other female Warrant Officers in the Marine Corps at that time. She was an active volunteer with the Long Beach Lena Riggi married the . Combat tests you. She first joined the military as an Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps cadet at Middle Tennessee State University in 1993. In June of 1996, after a brief stint as a Nashville Sheriffs Department correctional officer, Vernice took a break from college to accept an invitation to the Nashville Police Academy. By the age of four, she knew she wanted to be a police officer that rode a horse downtown. She made the Naval Air Stations prestigious Commodores List, received the Academic Achievement Award, was the top graduate in her class, and went on to make history as the Marine Corps first African American female pilot. From there she went almost straight to a dramatics school and from there to Broadway where she made her mark on the world as a famous actress. What changed my mind was a flier offering a free trip to the Mardi Gras for anyone who joined the Army ROTC women's rifle team. In March 2003, Armour became Americas first female African-American combat pilot during the invasion of Iraq. Her grandfather was a Montford Point Marine, the first African Americans to integrate the Marine Corps between 1942 and 1949. She was also a diversity liaison officer to the Pentagon for Headquarters Marine Corps. During my. You've ALWAYS had permission and it's up to YOU to give it to yourself! Salinas retired from the Marine Corps in 2012 after serving for 39 years and has since continued to stay active as the CEO of the Girl Scouts of Southwest Texas. Businesses are saluting Veterans Day with a host of discounts and freebies for veterans, service members and their families. Veterans Day is the perfect opportunity to attend events such as parades to learn about the importance of the Veterans Day Veterans Day is also a day where Americans can work with organizations that support the military, veterans and their families Military.com's top photos of the week, November 13 - November 18. [1][2], After flight school, Armour was assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California for training in the AH-1W SuperCobra. Vernice "Flygirl" Armour is a former United States Marine Corps officer who was the first African-American female naval aviator in the Marine Corps and the Marine Corps first female combat aviator. Williams, Lance Cpl. After her parents divorced, Clarence Jackson married Authurine. She later married, thereby changing her last name to Gilliard, and has recently passed away due to illness on July 4, 2002. Hostile territory not sure ho, Meet Major General Marcia Anderson female African-American on the motorcycle squad dream of a... 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