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A.J. Baime
Order "Bird Men"

After 9/11, Two Women Pilots Became Each Other’s Lifelines in Iraq

  • Mar 25
  • 1 min read

From AARP


Misca Geter. Right: Vernice Armour Rough date: 2004 in Al-Qa'im, Iraq. Courtesy Vernice Armour
Misca Geter. Right: Vernice Armour Rough date: 2004 in Al-Qa'im, Iraq. Courtesy Vernice Armour

When I was in ROTC in college, I saw a Black woman in a flight suit and knew what I wanted to do. I wanted to be a pilot. I graduated from flight school on July 21, 2001, when there was no war. But 9/11 happened less than 60 days later, and something in me knew I would be going. I moved into my operational squadron, and several months later, another Black woman joined the squadron, Misca Geter. She was from North Carolina and flew UH-1N Twin Hueys. We were two out of three female pilots, out of 67 pilots in our squadron. We deployed to Iraq together with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit. I was involved in the Battle of Najaf, the Battle of Fallujah and the Battle of Ramadi.


My friendship with Misca was a huge support in navigating the environment of being two of only three female pilots.


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