Congratulations the Last “First Five” Woman Standing of U.S. Air Force Presidential Honor Guard to retire.

Ceremony took pace on March 4, 2017 at Kirtland Air Force Base

Last “First Five” Woman Standing of U.S. Air Force Presidential Honor Guard to retire

The last woman of the historic United States Air Force “First Five” Ceremonial Guardsmen is set to retire March 4, 2017 culminating more than 34 years of Service. The retirement ceremony will be held March 4, 2107 at 2:00pm at the U.S. Air Force Safety, 9700 G Avenue SE, Kirtland Air Force Base, NM 87117.

Lt. Col. Cindi Feldwisch will retire from the New Mexico Air National Guard after serving more than 34 years in the U.S. Air Force. Last March, she and her “First Five” colleagues were recognized with full honors by the United States Air Force (USAF) Honor Guard in Washington D.C. In addition, Lt. Col. Feldwisch received a signed White House award and a framed Congressional Record given to her by New Mexico Congresswoman Michele Lujan Grisham.

In the spring of 1976, five enlisted women, completed training and earned the title of Ceremonial Guardsmen, being the first females to graduate and serve in the USAF Presidential Honor Guard, originally titled. The Air Force was the first branch to allow women to serve as Ceremonial Guardsmen.

Lt. Col. Feldwisch has served around the world and in every USAF component; active duty, Air Force Reserve and Air National Guard while working her way up through the enlisted ranks. Her break in service allotted her the time to go to college to earn her bachelors so she could become an officer. She has served in Iraq, Turkey, Germany, England and Haiti as a United Nations Peacekeeper prior to the devastating 2010 earthquake.

To view the history of the women in the United States Air Force Honor Guard, see “USAFHG to honor first female ceremonial guardsmen” by 1st Lt. Esther Willett. The link also contains the You Tube video “40 Years Of Women On The Marks In The USAFHG” https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=10153301654150723&id=103254295722

For further information, RSVP, and for base access, please contact Tech. Sgt. Christina Backus at 505-846-3659 or cell 505-261-5656.