Vernice Armour facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vernice Armour
|
|
|---|---|
Armour in January 2006
|
|
| Nickname(s) | FlyGirl |
| Born | 1973 (age 51–52) Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ |
 United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1993–2007 |
| Rank |  Captain |
| Unit | HMLA-169 |
| Battles/wars |
|
| Awards |  Air Medal Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Presidential Unit Citation National Defense Service Medal Iraq Campaign Medal Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon |
| Relations | Gaston C. Armour Jr. (Father, Army) Clarence Jackson (Step-father, Marine Corps) Authurine Jackson (mother) |
| Other work | Zero to Breakthrough(TM) Expert, professional keynote speaker, law enforcement officer |
Vernice "FlyGirl" Armour, born in 1973, is an amazing American hero. She was a brave officer in the United States Marine Corps. She made history as the very first African-American female naval aviator in the Marine Corps. This means she was the first Black woman to fly military aircraft for the Marines! She also became America's first Black female combat pilot. She flew a powerful AH-1W SuperCobra attack helicopter during the 2003 invasion of Iraq. She completed two tours of duty supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Vernice Armour was born in 1973 in Chicago, Illinois. Her parents were Gaston Armour Jr. and Authurine Armour. After her parents separated, her mother married Clarence Jackson. Both her father and her stepfather served in the military. Her father, Gaston Armour, was a retired major in the U.S. Army Reserve. Her stepfather, Clarence Jackson, was a former Marine Corps sergeant who served in Vietnam.
Her grandfather was also a special Marine. He was a "Montford Point Marine." These were the first African Americans allowed to join the Marine Corps between 1942 and 1949. They helped break down barriers for others.
Vernice grew up in Memphis, Tennessee. She went to Overton High School. She was a very good student, joining the mathematics honor society and the National Honor Society. She was also her class vice-president.
A Trailblazing Career
Vernice Armour's career path was full of important "firsts." In 1993, while studying at Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU), she joined the U.S. Army Reserve. Later, she entered the U.S. Army's ROTC program.
In 1996, she took a break from college to follow a childhood dream. She became a Nashville police officer. She was the first African-American woman to join the motorcycle squad there!
Armour finished her degree at MTSU in 1997. In 1998, she became the first African American female police officer in Tempe, Arizona. Soon after, in October 1998, she joined the U.S. Marines as an Officer Candidate.
Becoming a Pilot
After becoming a second lieutenant in December 1998, Armour went to flight school. She trained at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas, and then at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. In July 2001, she earned her wings. This meant she was officially a military pilot! She was not only the top student in her class of twelve, but she was also the best among the last two hundred graduates. She became the Marine Corps' first African-American female pilot.
After flight school, Armour went to Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in San Diego, California. There, she trained to fly the AH-1W SuperCobra helicopter. While at Camp Pendleton, she was named the 2001 Camp Pendleton Female Athlete of the Year. She also won the Camp's "Strongest Warrior Competition" twice. She even played as a running back for the San Diego Sunfire women's football team.
Combat Pilot
In March 2003, Captain Armour flew with HMLA-169 during the invasion of Iraq. This made her America's first Black female combat pilot. She flew two combat tours in the Gulf region. After her combat missions, she worked as a program liaison officer for the Manpower and Reserve Affairs Equal Opportunity Branch.
Life After the Marines
Vernice Armour left the U.S. Marine Corps in June 2007. She then started a new career as a professional speaker. She became an expert on how to create "breakthroughs" in life. She inspires people to achieve their goals.
In 2011, she wrote a book called Zero to Breakthrough: The 7-Step, Battle-Tested Method for Accomplishing Goals that Matter.
Images for kids
-
Capt. Vernice Armour and NASA astronaut Stephanie Wilson receiving an award from the Bessie Coleman Foundation
