Ellen Moore
Ellen Margaret Pritchett Moore
(Ρ-Ohio
State), a major in the U.S. Air Force, has
been stationed in locations such as the Republic of Panama,
Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. She
currently is a ROTC instructor at Tennessee State University and
an assistant professor of aerospace studies.
"My most
memorable assignment was while assigned to the 89th Aerial Port
Squadron at Andrews AFB in Maryland. This is the base the
president flies out of. I met George Bush and Jimmy Carter one
night while helping the Protocol office. I also met Harrison Ford
and Anne Archer while they were filming a scene from the Tom
Clancy book 'Clear and Present Danger.' Meeting Harrison
Ford was great! I also had a chance to tour Air Force One while
stationed at Andrews.
Ellen has served a total of 15
years in the Air Force, receiving the rank of major in October
1999. "There are a
total of 349,272 people in the Air Force. Of that, 68,862 are
officers. There are 15,074 majors. Of those ranked major, 2,264 are
women.
Support from Sisters
"I joined Air Force ROTC as a freshman at Ohio State. My sister was on active duty in the Air Force and my parents
encouraged me to join.
"All my Alpha Phi sisters were always very supportive. I was
kind of different because of ROTC, and we had a girl who was a member of the Ohio State basketball
team. That was what attracted me to Alpha Phi in the beginning. I
noticed that everyone wasn't made from the same mold. Everyone was
different and accepted me for who I was. Most of my friends don't
really understand a lot about the military, but they think it is
impressive that I have served my country.
"I think Alpha Phi's biggest influence on me was its
philanthropic efforts and how
important it is to serve in a philanthropic manner. My chapter's fundraisers always
stuck with me. Although I am compensated for my work in the Air
Force, it is not the easiest way to make money. I was sent to
Saudi Arabia for three months in 1994, and I feel that was somewhat
of a service. The Air Force lives by three core values: integrity
first, service before self and excellence in what we do. This summer, I was sent to Tyndall
AFB in Panama City, Fla., to work with 400 college ROTC cadets
from across the nation. We worked 18 hour days with no visitors and
no time off. I missed my baby's first birthday and my first
Mother's Day. But this is what I signed up to do..
Since Sept. 11
"My job hasn't changed too
much since Sept. 11. The
difference is that of the civilian populace. People
understand the military a little bit more. I have had several
people come up to me in the local area and thank me for service to
my country. I really appreciate that. I feel more patriotic, as do
most Americans."
