Today’s #VeteranOfTheDay is Air Force Veteran Jennifer Day, who flew in Operations Northern Watch, Southern Watch and Provide Promise.
Jennifer Day grew up all over the world. Her family moved often because her father was in the Air Force, but she learned to make the best of every new home. After moving over 10 times, Day attended college at Agnes Scott College in Decatur, Georgia, while completing Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) at Georgia Institute of Technology.
Day knew she wanted to be in the Air Force because of her father’s service and her love of flying, but she also wanted the college experience. ROTC allowed her to do both and prepared her to balance military service with personal life.
Day commissioned as a second lieutenant in 1991 after graduating with a mathematics degree from Agnes Scott. She started pilot school 11 months later in March 1992 at Vance Air Force Base in Oklahoma. Pilot school was one of the greatest challenges Day faced, but one year later, she graduated with her wings and more confidence in herself.
After earning her wings, Day joined the banked pilot program and went to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio for three years. There, she was an avionics engineer at Wright Laboratory working on GPS aero tracking. While at the base, Day met her husband and gave birth to her first child.
After finishing her service at Wright-Patterson in 1996, Day returned to flying. She went to survival training and spent a few months at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, flying the T-1 for recall. From there, she went to Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota to fly the KC-135.
During this time, Day flew missions for Operation Southern Watch in Saudi Arabia, Operation Northern Watch in Turkey and Operation Provide Promise in Bosnia.
Day honorably discharged in July 2001, as a captain. Her service provided her with a sense of fulfillment and was a journey that helped her grow, gain confidence and learn to stick to her principles; these skills have translated well to her current work in the corporate world. Day currently works in legal operations and lives in Georgia with her family.
Thank you for your service!
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Contributors
Writer: Kimberly Kassis
Editor: Erica MacSweeney and Katherine Berman
Researcher: Hannah Bundschuh
Graphic Designer: Helena Strohmier
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