Fly Girls Revolt: The Story of the Women Who Kicked Open the Door to Fly in Combat by Eileen A. Bjorkman. Knox Press, 2023, 288 pp.
Eileen Bjorkman’s Fly Girls Revolt accomplishes much more than what she sets out to do. In recounting the individual stories of the military women who became the first echelon of female aviators permanently accepted into military aviation positions, Bjorkman also brings readers back into the context of the 70 years it took to clear the path to full integration of women into all aspects of military aviation. She relates not only the stories of the women who entered service in the ‘70s and ‘80s but also a deeper understanding of the key personalities, cultural tensions, and pivotal decision points along this timeline. She traces the time from the push for the 1942 authorization of the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps—which soon after became the Women’s Army Corps—to the permanent opening of all aircraft cockpits to women in 1993 to the first US woman to fly a combat aircraft in combat in 1995. As one of the few women who gained a foothold in flying all types of military aircraft as a flight test engineer in the early 1980s, Bjorkman completed a full career as an Air Force officer then went on to serve as a member of the senior executive service, working at multiple headquarters levels and retiring as the executive director of the Air Force Test Center.
Fly Girls Revolt thus fills a void in the collective understanding and history of how, when, and why women became part of America’s military aviation tribe. This short book’s content could fit in a number of history genres, but its presentation, tone, and use of personal accounts make it an enjoyable read that could easily be classified as popular nonfiction. From the first lines of Bjorkman’s opening account of a normal day at the office discussing the latest news of a pilot bringing back a battle-damaged aircraft, the book engages the reader. Even though readers will already know the ending, it captures their attention, leaving them curious to know what happens next and who helps move the bureaucracies toward the concluding act.
The book describes surprising episodes in the lives of the famous women who very publicly nudged the nation into accepting women into military aviation roles and of the ordinary women who worked hard, did their jobs as best they could, and in their everyday actions, proved they belonged in the community. Their full inclusion elevated the talent and sharpened the effectiveness and lethality of the United States’ combat aviation.
It also relates the sometimes contradictory changes to policy and laws that provided opportunities for women as well as helped the military maintain its comfortable status quo for as long as possible. Throughout the book, the author is even-handed and empathetic in her telling of events and description of the women and men who played a role in the key discussions and policymaking regarding whether and how to include women in the military over the last century.
Bjorkman’s presentation and organization enhance the narrative and storytelling. Fly Girls Revolt is structured like a typical textbook with the table of contents, appendices, bibliography, and index. Yet, the details in her presentation set it apart from most history texts and help it fulfill its purpose. The chapter titles, for example, not only provide requisite clues to the content, but when read in sequence they also suggest the fits, starts, and backslides that occurred over the 70 years as well as provide succinct insight into the cultural ethos of each period. Instead of being dry lists of military ranks and terminology, the appendices continue the easy narrative, translating the important terms of military aviation needed to understand some of the issues discussed without oversimplification or indulging in minutiae. The timeline personalizes and connects the separate concrete events and decisions to the story by literally highlighting the individuals associated with specific events in bold. It also shows the cyclical highs and lows of women’s acceptance into the military from the US Civil War through 1995.
By combining personal stories and relevant historical and cultural context with the key changes in policy, the narrative avoids demonizing or glamorizing any of the individuals involved. While focused on the women of Bjorkman’s generation, it does not denigrate men but includes their stories as well. Bjorkman shows how men and women both worked to bring policy in line with the modern realities of national security.
Finally, while the book ends with the success of the first generation of female combat aircraft pilots, it acknowledges that more needs to be done to integrate women fully and completely into these roles. From equipment fitment, family and dependent policies, and medical care, today’s female aviators still have to make do with what’s provided through a system that focuses on meeting the requirements of a majority male force for efficiency and ease. But as Bjorkman’s account reveals, accommodating women also benefits men and raises the bar for the whole enterprise.
In dedicating Fly Girls Revolt to “all women military aviators—past, present, and future,” Bjorkman reveals her three aims: to tell the story of those individuals who made the final push to open the door for women to fly combat aircraft in combat, to encourage other women who have served in military aviation to share their own stories, and to inspire future generations of girls to consider military aviation as a viable career. Bjorkman hits the mark on the first two, and as the book reaches young women, she will surely meet the third.
Colonel Theresa E. Weems, USAF