Captain paves way for female airborne troops

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Amanda Dick
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
PAU, France --  Flying 1,250 feet above the earth, a C-130J Super Hercules hits the drop zone as the jump master says, "follow me."

The airborne troop replies, "lead the way," as she walks to the edge of the lift, jumps out and the parachute deploys; the open sky engulfing her.

Descending through the air, she takes in the sights as she prepares to land, and when she hits the ground, assumes the roll position, stands up, gathers her parachute and runs to the meeting point next to the white tower.

For 435th Security Forces Squadron airborne qualified operations officer Capt. Cassandra Bates, this is a successful jump. However, she is not jumping into the typical location, this time she's jumping near the Pyrenees Mountains as part of a French airborne mission here March 1 through 5.

The Westlake, Ohio, native grew up in a military household and always knew she would one day take her place in her family's line of military tradition.

"I just knew I'd always serve my country -- there was never even a thought of doing anything else," the six-year veteran said.

Although not her first choice, she eventually decided on the Air Force.

"The Air Force allowed me to do what I wanted to as a female," the self-proclaimed "die-hard" security forces member said. "I knew that being in the Air Force, the only way to be in the action as a female was to be security forces."

Once in security forces, she was told if she wanted to do the really action-packed stuff she should look at going into a contingency response group. While deployed for a year in Iraq, she was asked where she wanted to go.

"I told them I wanted to go to the CRG in Germany," the captain said. "I wanted to jump out of aircraft and do all that cool stuff boys get to do. And they sent me here -- it was pretty awesome."

Captain Bates has been with the 435th Contingency Response Group for a little over a year and has been airborne qualified for about a month.

"It's a pleasure to work with someone who's so open and optimistic as Captain Bates is," said Master Sgt. James Turner, 435th Security Forces Squadron heavy equipment operator and jump master. "You have a tendency, especially in the 3P career field, to be a little bit more cynical and have lower expectations. She has high expectations from us, and speaking from a senior noncommissioned officer's perspective, it's a delight to be able to work with somebody who's prepared to explore more options, prepared to think outside the box."

In the almost 11 years the CRG has been stood up, Captain Bates is the first female security forces officer and the first, and only, female to be a part of the airborne team, which is fitting given that March is Women's History Month.

"I would consider myself very lucky to be where I am ... sometimes I feel like there's someone big out there watching over me, because a lot of things have lined up so perfectly," said the captain, who has completed nine jumps. "I'm so lucky to be on the airborne team, especially since I'm the first female they've let on the team. But, it's also very humbling, because I guess the big thing is, I'm not proud of myself, I'm proud of how far [women in security forces] have come."

Although women were allowed into security forces in 1971, they were not fully integrated into combat zone specialties until 1984. Since then, Captain Bates said women have made great strides.

"Look at Maj. Gen. Mary Kay Hertog, she was the female top cop ... a two-star general," she said. "I thought to myself, 'If she can do it, I want to follow in her footsteps.' I think it's just awesome how we are slowly paving the way and proving we can do this, and we do deserve to be here."

Though she is the only female airborne troop at the moment, Captain Bates said she doesn't feel like she's treated any different. However, she said she has more pressure than most.

"Not only am I the female, but I'm also now their boss -- the operations officer," she said. "I have to lead from the front. As a woman and as their boss, I don't want to mess up, because they need to have pride and trust in the fact that I can lead them to success. It's an amazing opportunity, and I feel it's leading the way to get more females on to the airborne team and more females out there doing things like this."

Along her path to the CRG and the airborne team, the captain said the biggest challenge she faced was learning to lead. In her year-long deployment, she said they went outside the wire every day to train the Iraqi police. During this time, she said she was first tested as a leader when one of her troops was killed in action.

"I was a lieutenant at the time, and not many lieutenants will have to deal with losing one of their troops and the effect that has on your flight or squadron," Captain Bates said. "To deal with them being sad over the loss of a comrade, and you can't cry because you're the leader, you're supposed to put up the 'I'm strong' front and you're supposed to be there to help them when really you want to cry inside as well."

This experience and others caused her to grow up quickly, but it also defined her into the leader she is today.

"You've got to be that leader and learn that sometimes not everyone's going to like you," the captain said. "You have to make decisions for people, and they're not always going to like those decisions, but you're not here to be their friends, you're here to get them home safe."

With the challenges come the rewards, and Captain Bates is no stranger to working hard to attain her goals ... being part of the airborne community.

"My favorite part of being airborne would be the camaraderie and being a part of something bigger than yourself," she said. "When people see you wearing those airborne wings, you're instantly accepted by other airborne paratroopers."

Captain Bates said her biggest reward was knowing she had made it through all the rough patches to become part of the airborne family. Along the way, she's picked up memories that will last a lifetime ... like her first jump.

"I had to be the very first jumper on my very first jump," Captain Bates said. "When you're the first jumper, you're standing right there watching it all happen in front of you. I've never been so scared in my entire life. I remember thinking, 'what am I doing, why am I jumping out of an airplane?' It took a lot of internal guts to just jump."

But, she said prior instruction took root, and she stepped out the door.

"I'll always remember that feeling, because I was so nervous and then, as soon as they said 'go,' training took over, and I jumped out," she said. "There you are, floating in the air, seeing the sights, trusting your equipment and knowing you're OK."

Taking in the sights is exactly what Captain Bates was able to do on the France mission.

"I would say again this is an amazing opportunity ... to be in France is one thing and then to be jumping in France is another," she said. "Airborne is a community, and now I just met French airborne. It's such a neat opportunity. Here I am as a young captain in France building partnerships with French airborne troops. It's awesome because I'll probably never get to do this again -- I love it."