How the Gold Aviator Got Her Wings
Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle made history, the US Navy’s first Black female tactical aircraft pilot
Ms. Swegle trained to become a fighter pilot took on many phases of training for all around preparedness and capability. In 2017, she graduated from the US Naval Academy where she completed her initial flight screen at NAS Pensacola, then onto primary flight training completed at NAS Corpus Christi, followed by her advanced strike training at NAS Kingsville and finally completed her aircraft carrier qualifications in the Atlantic Ocean off the Florida coast.
Lt. j.g. Madeline Swegle became a proud recipient of the Gold Naval Aviator Wings during a Naval Air Station ceremony in Kingsville, Texas and was the first US Navy’s first Black female tactical aircraft pilot who received her “wings of gold” marking a historic milestone for naval aviation.
She stood with her twenty five classmates during the ceremony while she was named a naval aviator and awarded her Gold Naval Aviator Wings becoming the Navy’s first Black female strike pilot after completing tactical strike training at NAS Kingsville on July 7, 2020. As a strike pilot, she would be responsible for flying the Navy’s strike aircraft, including fighter jets, i.e. F/A-18 Super Hornet, the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, and the 18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft.
Having earned her title and expertise conveyed that she is a courageous trailblazer as she joined a select group of people who had earned Wings of Gold and stepped up to the charge of defending their Country from the air. Her accomplishment complimented a diverse group of air fighters with different background, skill and thought.
Ms. Swegle landmark accomplishment earning her wings treads in the footsteps of the many groundbreaking women and minorities in the US Navy, i.e. Rosemary Mariner, first female jet pilot in 1974, Brenda Robinson, and first black women Navy fight instructor, evaluator and VIP transport pilot in 1980’s according to the Woman in Aviation International, a non-profit organization.
Following all of her training and major accomplishment in getting her Gold Wings, she headed to Electronic Attack Squadron 129 at NAS Whidbey Island in Washington to start her training as an EA-18G Growler pilot where she would receive instructions in electronic warfare tactics, techniques, and procedures in preparation for her fleet assignments along with classmates.
Below is a video of Ms. Swegle sharing her sentiments of her accomplishment and motivation for others.
In conclusion, Ms. Swegle had always wanted to be a pilot since she was a young girl as her parents encouraged her to be whatever she wanted to be. She is from Burke, Virginia where she graduated from Lake Braddock Secondary High School and 2017 graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. Throughout her school and college days she participated in track and field.
Her noteworthy quotes:
“ I’m excited to have this opportunity to work harder and fly high performance jet aircraft in the fleet.”
“It would’ve been nice to see someone who looked like me in this role; I never intended to be the first. I hope it’s encouraging to other people.”
“I think representation is important because we are a very diverse nation,” and “I would like everyone to believe that they can achieve whatever they want to do.”
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