Making history, the U.S. Air Force Academy announced that it has nominated a decorated out lesbian servicemember as its next commandant, the first time the institution will be led by an LGBTQ director.
Former bomber pilot Colonel Kristin Goodwin, who currently serves as the senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, previously led the 2nd Bomb Wing at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana as the squadron’s first female commander.
USAFA Lt. Col. Allen Herritage, the academy’s director of public affairs, commended Goodwin for her “outstanding service and leadership credentials” and claimed her experience will “strengthen the academy’s continued drive toward excellence.”
NewNowNext reports that, “Mikey Weinstein, founder of the Military Religious Freedom Foundation, an LGBT advocacy group, praised Goodwin’s nomination, which comes less than six years after ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ was repealed. But he questioned why the Air Force hadn’t promoted such a historic event.
‘Why are they not publicly acknowledging this groundbreaking selection of a gay, female new Commandant? This question HAS to be asked… ‘Should not USAFA and Senior Air Force leadership be touting this action as an historic milestone of Jovian magnitude as well?’”
In what’s generally considered a formality, the Senate still must confirm Col. Goodwin, who is slated to take charge of 4,000-plus cadets and 300 Air Force and civilian personnel at the Colorado Springs academy.
Goodwin will succeed Brigadier General Stephen Williams, who currently holds the illustrious position, and Goodwin has also been nominated for promotion to Brigadier General.
Goodwin lives in Colorado Springs with her wife and their two children.
We’ve come a long way in the military since the days of DADT. Congratulations, Col. Goodwin, on this remarkable and boundary-smashing achievement. We salute you!
