Savannah Christian should be proud to know that one of its own was hand-picked to become the first woman assigned to fly the B-1B Bomber. Will Ronning ’89 talked to Christine recently from her Pentagon office and filed this report:
To say that Lt. Col. Christine Orzada Hill’s life has "taken off" since graduating from Savannah Christian in 1979 would be an understatement.
In 1983, Christine was one of the first 350 women to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy. During her four years at the Academy, she not only majored in Biology but also cheered for the football team. She said cheerleading enabled her to continue some of the fun she enjoyed while at Savannah Christian.
Since marrying her husband Greg Hill (retired Lt. Col., USAF) in 1983 and earning her wings in 1984, Christine has seen quite a bit of action. She flew combat support during the U.S. intervention in Panama and served as acting Chief of Tanker Air Operations during Operation Desert Storm.
In 1995, Christine was hand-picked as the first woman ever assigned to fly the B-1B Bomber. The backbone of America’s long-range bomber force, the B-1B provides massive, rapid delivery of precision and non-precision weapons against any potential adversary anywhere around the globe on short notice. The cost? $283.1 million per plane!
She subsequently served as a Flight Commander and Assistant Director of Operations for the 9th Bomb Squadron and as the Deputy Commander for Weapons and Tactics of the 7th Operations Support Squadron, responsible for developing and maintaining the combat capability of 41 B-1 aircraft and over 200 aircrew members.
Christine is presently assigned to the Pentagon where she is the Chief of Long Range Power Projection, Weapon Systems Division, Secretary of the Air Force Office of the Legislative Liaison. In non-military speak, she is the liaison between the Air Force and the Congress on issues primarily related to bombers and munitions. She makes sure Congress provides her squadron mates what they need to remain effective and safe.
Currently Christine is on a list to become a B-1 Air Combat Command Squadron Commander. If selected, she would be in charge of a B-1 Squadron consisting of 12-15 aircraft and about 250 people.
Christine was in the Pentagon on September 11, 2001 but fortunately was on the opposite side of the building from the attack site. She says that day still seems like something she saw in pictures instead of something that happened right in front of her. Currently she says the affected area has been cleaned up and the damaged side of the building looks like a typical construction site. Christine says the generosity and concern shown by the American people has been really wonderful. And it’s gratifying to know that every letter, child’s artwork and community banner received is displayed in the halls of the Pentagon. She says it makes her job much easier knowing how Americans feel.
To contact Christine, email her at Christine.Hill@pentagon.af.mil.
Savannah Christian should be proud to know that one of its own was hand-picked to become the first woman assigned to fly the B-1B Bomber. Will Ronning ’89 talked to Christine recently from her Pentagon office and filed this report:
