3/13/2013 - Lt. Susanne M. Waylett, then Ocobock, was personally welcomed to the Air Force by the Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. John C. Meyer in 1971. In April of that year, she became the first female to enter the civil engineer career field. She went on to become the first female civil engineer squadron commander in 1987 and the first female CE to reach the rank of colonel in 1993. Waylett, who retired in 2000 as the commander of the 10th Civil Engineer Group, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, paved the way for other women in the career field, culminating in the recent announcement of Brig. Gen. Teresa Carter as the next Air Force Civil Engineer. (U.S. Air Force photo)

3/13/2013 - (Second from left) In 1994, Col. Susanne M. Waylett was commander of the 823rd RED HORSE Squadron, Hurlburt Field, Fla. Her squadron deployed to Bosnia to build tent cities at Tuzla AB for Army troops arriving as peacekeeping forces during Operation Joint Endeavor. Waylett experienced several historic firsts during her career which included being the first female to enter the civil engineer career field, the first female civil engineer squadron commander and the first female CE to reach the rank of colonel. Waylett, who retired in 2000 as the commander of the 10th Civil Engineer Group, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, paved the way for other women in the career field culminating in the recent announcement of Brig. Gen. Teresa Carter as the next Air Force Civil Engineer. (U.S. Air Force photo)