Palm Springs Air Museum Gala Honoring Women in Aviation

The dress code said Black Tie or Military Uniform, so I dusted off my dinner dress and put my uniform on for the first time in three years to attend this gorgeous evening at the Palm Springs Air Museum and witness an inspiring lineup of women being honored for their annual Gala. I’d been to the museum once before, in 2010, when my crew and I were stuck for two days waiting out a winter storm over the mountains that blocked our return to Los Angeles from a deployment to El Centro. I’d loved the museum, and the city of Palm Springs, so when I heard about the Gala happening the week before WAI23 in Los Angeles, I decided I was going.

Guests were welcomed with bagpipes at the entrance, then wandered outside to the ramp and open hangar to enjoy pre-dinner cocktails and appetizers. On a table lining one side was an impressive display of military uniforms curated by an even more impressive young man, Will Twomey, who started this collection when he was an adolescent. His parents nurtured his interest, and Will eventually published a book featuring the legendary heroes whose uniforms he’d acquired over the years, On the Shoulders of History: Stories of Leaders and Heroes Through Their Artifacts. Will was headed to Navy Officer Candidate School then Flight Training in the fall. Following social hour, we transitioned to the closed hangar next door and enjoyed a surprisingly fabulous meal for banquet-style catering followed by a live band and dancing.

Among the honorees were authors Eileen Collins, Through the Glass Ceiling to the Stars, Erin Miller, Final Flight, Final Fight, and Tammie Jo Shults, Nerves of Steel. I also totally fan-girled attendees Maj. Gen. Jeannie Leavitt, Maj. Gen. Stacye Harris, and Maj. Michelle “MACE” Curran. Just a stunning evening all around.