How did it all start? While at Camp Pendleton, she was named 2001 Camp Pendleton Female Athlete of the Year, twice won the Camp's annual Strongest Warrior Competition, and was a running back for the San Diego Sunfire women's football team. She completed two combat tours in the Gulf. Though not much is said as to the exact situation, we know that she was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal on August 7, 1953 when she saved a fellow Marine from drowning off the Atlantic Coast near the training facility at Camp Lejeune. I earned my wings in 2001 -- the first Black female aviator in the Corps. Just as impressively, Salinas has a bachelors degree in history as well as a masters degree from the Naval War College. Through that work, she helps individuals and organizations make gutsy moves and create breakthrough results by applying her Zero to BreakthroughTM Success Model a mindset that helped to propel her career and kept her safe in air combat. After flight school, Armour was assigned to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, California for training in the AH-1W SuperCobra. She flew the AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter in the 2003 invasion of Iraq and eventually served two tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Receive notifications of new posts by email. She became the Marine Corps' first African-American female pilot. Some even made history doing it, like former Marine Capt. She served two tours of duty in Iraq as a Marine. As a Black gay woman and single mom, FlyGirl brings vital experience to her role as a member of the Forbes School of Business & Technology Board of Advisors and COMCAST/NBCUniversal Joint Diversity Council. Upon leaving the military after the completion of two tours in Iraq, Vernice launched VAI Consulting and Training, LLC. her estimated net worth is $1 Million to $5 Million Approx. USMC Tattoo Policy Changes For 2022 & 2022 (15 Things To Know), Marine FAST Teams: 5 Things You Need to Know, Top 20 Reasons To Join The Military (and 7 Reasons NOT To), Army Commendation Medal (ARCOM): 8 Things To Know, Army Achievement Medal (AAM): 6 Things To Know. Enjoy savings on dining, travel and more all year long with your AARP membership! She is currently single. Although both she and her commander knew the AARP salutes you for your service to our country with a special membership offer of up to 43% off. She got her commercial pilots license when she was forty-seven years old with the intention of joining the Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPS). Notify me of follow-up comments by email. She decided to leaving the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2007 to begin a career as a professional speaker sharing her story and as an expert on creating breakthroughs in life. 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. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals. Vernice found hers in college while studying at Middle Tennessee State University: a flyer posted on a bulletin board that said, Free Trip to Mardi Gras! dont give them power. We all have obstacles in life, I tell them. Staff Sergeant Barbara Olive Barnwell makes this list as the first female Marine to be awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. Being a beat cop tests you. She received her first pony as a gift on the Christmas day . According to legend she was the very first woman Marine in a time when women were not allowed to be Marines. Combat tests you. Notice, I didn't put the emphasis on permission, but on HAVE. You know, the trailblazers, whether it was the male, female, black or white, the pilots or infantry, . She earned her wings in July of 2001, not only the top of her class of twelve, but also the top of the two hundred others who were graduating, making her not only the first African-American female naval aviator in the Marine Corps, but also the first African-American female combat pilot in the U.S. Armed Forces. Earning her wings in July 2001, Armour was not only number one in her class of twelve, she was number one among the last two hundred graduates. Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, "First Black female pilot honored in memory of Bessie Coleman", "Vernice Armour, 1st black female combat pilot, serves in Persian Gulf as family copes", "Black Female Pilot Breaks Racial, Gender Barriers", "Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter: Vernice Armour: Amazon.com: Books", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vernice_Armour&oldid=1088417067, African-American female military personnel, United States Marine Corps personnel of the Iraq War, Female United States Marine Corps personnel, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Zero to Breakthrough(TM) Expert, professional keynote speaker, law enforcement officer, This page was last edited on 17 May 2022, at 21:59. First of all before she even joined the Marines she was the first African-American woman to be on the Nashville Police Motorcycle Squad, something which had apparently been a childhood dream of hers. Who is Devon Lee Carlson? While President Joe Biden travels abroad, first lady Jill Biden will host a Veterans Day breakfast at the White House. It was an exhilarating -- and rewarding -- experience. She translates those lessons for audiences, drawing from her . You clearly understood what our objectives were and worked collaboratively with our media team to setup the event and get the most out of the material and delivery. 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. I'm immensely proud of having been able to serve my country, and thankful for having joined the Corps. We flew close air-support and convoy escorts in AH-1W SuperCobras, spending the night at forward operating bases in hostile territory. [4], Raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Armour graduated from Overton High School, where she was a member of the mathematics honor society, the National Honor Society, and class vice-president. Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour was a diversity officer for U.S. Marine Corps HQ and liaison to the Pentagon. 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. Now retired from the Marines, Armour has not forgotten her training and started her own business and shares with others that Marine mentality.. Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour has been tested her whole life. There is no challenge too big for former Marine Corps Captain Vernice Armour. 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. Please provide a few details regarding the upcoming event so that we can better assist you. Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour I help Executive Women OWN their story and their obstacles and turn them into the OPPORTUNITIES the really are! Bernice Aurthur is much better known today by her stage name of Bea Arthur, a name which is quite famous in acting circles and on Broadway stages. My company, VAI Consulting and Training, LLC, in Stafford, Virginia, has a list of clients that includes banks, defense contractors, nonprofit organizations and even the Department of Defense. I joined the Marines. 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. By signing up for this guide, you agree to receive email communications from VerniceArmour.com. Clarence Jackson married Authurine. Her grandfather was a Montford Point Marine, the first African Americans to integrate the Marine Corps between 1942 and 1949. Not sure ho, Meet Major General Marcia Anderson. The Marine Corps points out the fact that physical examinations are very thorough and that the crew on the Constitution had little privacy at all. At the end of the war, Johnson was one of those removed from active service, but she continued to make her mark as a clerk in the War Department until she retired in 1943. According to our Database, She has no children. In 1998, Armour became the first African American female to serve as a police officer in Tempe, Arizona before joining the U.S. Marines as an Officer Candidate in October 1998. Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour made history as the first Black woman aviator for the U.S. Marines, and also became the first Black woman combat pilot across the U.S. Armed Forces. Afterwards, she was assigned to the Manpower and Reserve Affairs Equal Opportunity Branch as program liaison officer. Armour discusses the accuracy of "Black Hawk Down" and "The Falcon and the Winter Soldier." She also analyzes the helicopter stunts in "Mission: Impossible Fallout" and "Spectre." Top editors give you the stories you . Everything I do stems from my time in the Corps. [2], Armour's association with the SuperCobra attack helicopter earned her the nickname "Flygirl. After this she got the duties of administrative supply assistant at Camp Pendleton in California. Vernice was born in Chicago, IL in 1973, and moved to Memphis, TN after her parents divorced when she was three. 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. 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. It is perhaps more due to her fame as an actress than for any great deeds she did in the Marines that put her on this list, though as one of the first women to join the Marines she helped to pave the way for women after her. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your email address will not be published. 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. She completed two combat tours in the Gulf. In 2007, FlyGirl launched VAI Consulting & Training, LLC. FlyGirl has two honorary doctorates and has received numerous awards as a pioneering pilot, including honors for her commanding role in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). 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. Discover Vernice Armour's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Acknowledge the obstacles and "make it happen." Born as Bernice Frankel, Bea joined the Womens Reserve two months before her twenty-first birthday and on February 20, 1943 began her basic training. Your email address will not be published. Then in 1996, her last year of college, she took time off to become a Nashville police officer. She helps individuals and organizations Get Gutsy and build a sustainable inner force and conviction, that results in accomplishing significant goals. She flew the meanest helicopter in the U.S. military, the Super Cobra, which earned her the nickname 'Flygirl.' She . Following the Iraq deployment, Levi was assigned to various detachments who travelled and worked around Southeast Asia. We will update Vernice Armour's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible. I asked myself. Vernice Armour was born on 1973 in Chicago, Illinois, United States, is a United States Marine Corps pilot. [2], In 1993, while a student at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), Armour enlisted in the Army Reserves and later the Army ROTC. 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. https://www.military.com/veterans-day/vernice-armour.html, https://www.dvidshub.net/image/618243/americas-first-female-african-american-combat-pilot, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vernice_Armour. She became the first female African-American on the motorcycle squad. Anne Lamb and Annie Graham had to stand alone in their new position while the world adjusted to this new situation. Do your finances keep you up at night? Foundation for Women Warriors is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charity (tax ID# 20-5523954). Like with everything else, however, there had to be a first and that first was Annie E. Graham. After flight school, Vernice was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton near San Diego, CA, piloting the AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopter. Armour was raised in Memphis, Tennessee where she was a member of the mathematics honor society, the National Honor Society and class vice-president in high school. She was rejected five times due to her age, and finally gave up trying to fly and joined the Marines instead. We scour the universe for the best military travel and recreation discounts to celebrate veterans and Veterans Day. Vernice Armour was born in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois to Gaston Armour Jr. and Authurine Armour. If anyone deserves to be on our list of famous women Marines it is Angela Salinas, the first Hispanic woman to rise to the rank of General. [1] After her parents divorced, Clarence Jackson married Authurine. How did it all start? I had no interest in the military. 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