Chief Master Sergeant (Ret.) Carol Poynor entered the Air Force in August 1958 and became an Administrative Specialist. From 1971 to 1972, Poynor participated in the Vietnam War from Korat Air Base, Thailand, and served as Basic Military Training Superintendent. Chief Poynor witnessed female Airmen who were over tasked to show them failing. Others were over-protected or deferred to administrative duties. Her advice to women today, if challenged, is to, “take proper action and stick it out and be proud. Don’t let it stop you. And always take pride in your work!” Chief Poynor witnessed firsthand how long it took before the gender inequities were resolved. “They have so much today,” Poynor said. “They need to know how hard it was for some. I would want them to find out what it was like in the past, to know what got them there.”
At the time of her retirement in 1983, Chief Poynor proudly stated, “I loved my 26 years in the Air Force!”