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Carroll promotion to colonel makes Virginia history

One of U.S. Joint Forces Command's civilian employees continued a trend of making history in the Virginia Air National Guard with a promotion to colonel.

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By JO1 (SW/AW) Chris Hoffpauir
USJFCOM Public Affairs

(SUFFOLK, Va. - Feb. 3, 2005) -- A U.S. Joint Forces Command civilian employee recently made history for the second time when she became the first African-American woman to achieve the rank of colonel in the history of the Virginia Air National Guard (VaANG).

Air Force Brig. Gen. Robert B. Newman Jr., deputy assistant to the governor for commonwealth preparedness, swore in Col. Debra Carroll at a ceremony attended by Virginia Gov. Mark R. Warner.

"Gov. Warner told me how proud he was for me and my family," Carroll said. "He was deeply honored that I would share such an important milestone with him. He encouraged me to continue to grow and diversify in my career, staying abreast of issues not only affecting the Guard but our nation as a whole."

Carroll made Virginia history the first time when she assumed command of the 200th Weather Flight in 1994, becoming the first female commanding officer in the VaANG.

She said that experience prepared her in many ways for her civilian job at USJFCOM as a Joint National Training Capability exercise event planner at the Joint Warfighting Center in Suffolk, Va.

"My 200th Weather Flight family encouraged me to think out of the box," Carroll said. "To exercise new avenues of providing weather support, and establish new and lasting relationships with higher headquarters, and non-traditional Air Force customers, such as the Army, while acting as the commander, was my first real experience with 'jointness'."

"At USJFCOM, I work in the JWFC Multinational Affairs Branch, planning exercises with NATO and Partnership for Peace countries," she said. "This venue provides opportunities for building and maintaining transatlantic links with our allies and partners.

"Real connections are made thru these exercises," Carroll continued. "Opinions and feelings from our multinational partners are quite different than they're portrayed in the news, and worth exploring. Seeing and understanding the world from another perspective is educational and enlightening."

"I enjoy what I do. I'm trying to learn as much as I can about both new positions- they make a difference."

Carroll acknowledges, while being VaANG's first African-American woman colonel is a great achievement; the real honor for her lies in being selected for a position of such responsibility. "It's fulfilling and affirming, it signifies your superiors are confident of your potential and capabilities for leadership challenges."

She also acknowledged that she couldn't have achieved what she has without help from her fellow guardsmen.

"I've worked diligently throughout my career, but I'm well aware of the support given from supervisors, colleagues and most importantly, subordinates. My promotion was not only a result of my work but also a direct reflection of them… their support, trust, and faith."

She currently serves at the Pentagon as the ANG assistant to Air Force Director of Weather Brig. Gen. Thomas E. Stickford.

Carroll's career in the VaANG began 16 years ago, after eight years of Air Force active duty.

She served in numerous capacities after studying meteorology through the Air Force Institute of Technology at the University of Texas. Carroll saw duty at Moody Air Force Base, Ga.; Osan Air Base, Korea; Langley Air Force Base, Va.; Riyadh Air Base, Saudi Arabia; and Los Angeles Air Force Station, Calif.