| Biographical Information:
AIRMAN BASIC
TO MAJOR
BONNIE MARIE McEwan
(Military Service 1971 – 1997)
As a child growing up in
rural Iowa, Bon always enjoyed learning about other cultures. Her
father, a career soldier, sent her updates from around the world, including
Vietnam. Following her WWI Grandpa and WWII/Vietnam Dad, Airman Basic
McEwan completed Lackland’s Basic Training in 1971. Expanding her horizons
and earning rank (Airman to Staff Sergeant) McEwan served as personnel and
psychiatric ward/clinic specialists at McGuire (NJ), Malmstrom (MT), and
Travis (CA). At McGuire, she spent many Big Apple weekends meeting
people from very diverse backgrounds. But, she needed to get “Back to
Nature;” thus in 1973 off to Big Sky, Great Falls, Montana.
Reservist McEwan worked on her BA at San Francisco State University, while
putting in her Weekend Warrior Duty at Travis’s famous F
(psychiatric) Ward. Next, she obtained her California Secondary
Social Science Teaching Credential with a German minor at Sacramento State
University. Simultaneously, “Cadet” McEwan participated in the University
of California, Berkeley’s ROTC Program, an interesting place to earn an
officer’s commission!
After being hit and
luckily surviving Hurricane Fred (Frederick) at Keesler AFB, MS,
Bonnie, in 1979, crossed the ‘Big-Pond’ back to her German roots: Ramstein
and Wiesbaden. At Headquarters United States Air Force in Europe (HQ
USAFE), she was the first Second Lieutenant to ever be assigned to DCS
Personnel providing support to over 74,000 military in Europe. At Lindsey,
First Lieutenant McEwan ran the largest European casualty program including
working the wounded from President Sadot’s assassination, plus the Marine
Beirut Tragedy after-mass. During free time, she enjoyed traveling, meeting
Europeans, going to operas, and picking grapes (Weintrauben für die
Octoberfests), while listening to the silence.
Back to the states
(Wright-Patterson) he 1985, Captain McEwan began her Masters Degree in
Social Service from Antioch International University at Yellow Springs,
Ohio, (another slightly conservative school!) while working for Headquarters
Air Force Logistics Command (HQ AFLC). Another significant event is she
married Peter Papay of Győr, Hungary, who escaped to the US after the 1956
Hungarian Revolution.
PCS’ing in 1988 to
England AFB, LA, as CBPO Chief, Major McEwan had lots of adventures
including her deployment to Operation DESERT STORM as theater Director of
Personnel. In her limited free time, she studied Arabic, made Arab friends,
rode an Arabian horse and integrated into the culture by visiting both the
Women’s and then the Men’s Living Rooms! She’s come to the conclusion people
are all the same deep-down at the Bottom Line. Coming back home, McEwan
learned Congress selected England for a “short-fused” base-closure—she
quickly got to work as the Mission Support Commander helping to make it
happen.
Moving on in 1992,
Commander McEwan provided Support to Headquarters Air Combat Command’s (HQ
ACC ) largest air combat training network at HQ Electronic Combat Range
Group at Barksdale AFB, LA. Her last jobs in the Air Force were at the
Mighty Eighth as Chief, Support to the Air Force Forces and the Air Support
Squadron. As Bonnie leaves the Air Force, she is looking forward to
spending more time in Backyardsville with Peter, their German
Shepherd children, plus bird, animal, and people friends too. One thing for
certain as her saga continues, she is absolutely proud to have served her
nation (in many capacities for over 22 years) in the United States Air
Force!
|
