Major General Stayce Harris Speaks at Smyrna Rotary Club

Photo by Cherry Gipson. Article by Narayan Sengupta

Georgia has very deep aviation roots. Frank O’Driscoll Hunter flew Spads in World War I, became Georgia’s first ace and the only person to have a base (Savannah’s Hunter Army Airfield) named after him while still alive. Eugene Bullard, of Columbus, Georgia, became history’s first African-American pilot, and flew combat for the French a generation before the Tuskegee Airmen started.

That was then. And now, next time you see a C-130 Hercules flying above Smyrna or anywhere else in Cobb, think of Major General Stayce D. Harris, Commander of the 22nd Air Force, Air Force Reserve Command. It’s a tremendous title, but holding it is a most charming and approachable person who has incredible presence while simultaneously and very proudly talking up her staff of over 15,000 very active and very busy reservists.

On Tuesday, June 16, General Harris spoke at the Smyrna Rotary Club to let its members and visitors know about the 22nd Air Force. The 22nd actually started out ferrying aircraft across the Atlantic during World War II. Now it flies C-130s, tests various aircraft that are formerly non-airworthy and provides instruction to those entering Undergraduate Pilot Training. The 22nd Air Force has over 105 C-130 airplanes. It participates in both humanitarian airlifts and supporting the action in distant places like Iraq. Interestingly, its planes also chase hurricanes and fly fire suppression missions skimming as low as 100 feet over massive, angry, fires that create their own micro-weather systems.

Her father was Air Force, and she liked the fact that his career took her family to all kinds of interesting places like Tokyo, Japan and London, England. “I was in JROTC in high school and then ROTC in college,” she said, explaining some of the steps that brought her to where she is today. Yet it wasn’t until her freshman year as an engineering student that an AFROTC instructor asked her if she would like to fly. She replied that she had been flying since she was a child, and then he clarified that he wanted to know if she wanted to be a pilot. At that time in 1977, only women currently serving on active duty were attending undergraduate pilot training, so the field was still emerging for women. General Harris later graduated from the University of Southern California with a degree in Industrial Engineering and after serving as a civil engineer for a year and a half, went to pilot training.

She received her Masters degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and has been flying for 32 years. She has over 12,500 hours of military and civilian flying time, and in her civilian life, she flies the 747-400 for United Airlines to Europe and Asia, where she has flown for 25 years. General Harris is currently on a leave of absence from United while she performs her current military duty. While her 22nd Air Force headquarters is based at Dobbins, there are 30 other locations across the country that serve under her command.

Her audience was full of praise: “General Harris reminds us of all that is good in our armed forces,” was Brenda Romanchik’s comment. “She is a woman of strength, integrity and intelligence. It was a pleasure to hear her speak about those under her command. Her pride and care for them shines through.”

“I really appreciated her passion for family, career and simultaneous military service,” said Smyrna Rotary’s Sean Tintle. “She cares deeply about her team and their families.” Attorney Darl Champion called her “outstanding.” “She was informative and engaging,” said Champion, “and even though she is a high ranking military official, she was very down to earth and approachable. I think everyone in attendance has a renewed appreciation for the handwork and sacrifice of our reserve military members.” Cherry Gipson added, “She became the first African- American female to command an active Air Force Flying Squadron when she took command of the 729th Airlift Squadron in April 2002. She also became the first African-American woman to take command of an Air Force Wing.”