Women encompass more than 40 years of Vance AFB history

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Amanda Mills
  • Public Affairs
Vance Air Force Base, Okla. --  Almost 30 years of Team Vance history flowed out of a 1977 time capsule when it was opened in the wing commander's office Monday, but one woman present could account for a time even 21 years prior.
Judy Ecker joined the Vance workforce in 1956, right after graduating from high school in Enid, Okla.
"Enid was home, and I knew Vance offered a great working opportunity and nice people," she said.
As the base (now the mission support group) and wing commanders' secretary during her more than 40-year career, Ms. Ecker witnessed several future leaders in the making before she retired in 1997.
"I was the secretary for Col. (now retired Gen.) Lloyd "Fig" Newton when he was the base and wing commander here, and I was the secretary for Col. (now retired Maj. Gen.) Buster Ellis when he was the wing commander," Ms. Ecker said. "I also worked and visited with (retired Col.) Eileen Collins (the first female shuttle pilot) when she was a student pilot here."
Ms. Ecker and Colonel Collins were part of the Vance chapter of the Federally Employed Women, a group of military and civilian women who met monthly for learning opportunities and fellowship lunches.
Ann Tucker was another member of the Vance FEW. She began her career here in 1958. She and her brother, Richard Scaling, (who had graduated from pilot training at Vance during the Vietnam era) became third-generation Vance civilians, following their mother and great uncle. Although she left the base in 1960, she returned in '71 and remained until she retired in 2002. Her office, then the consolidated base personnel office, was the group who created the capsule that was found in
Bldg. 600.
"I worked with a wonderful group of people then, and we did a lot together," she said. "When they remodeled our building around us, we decided to make a time capsule to recognize that time.
"I was hoping people would remember the capsule. I'm glad it's been opened; it shows people today a lot about what Vance was like then, and a little about what our office was like then. We were very group oriented," Ms. Tucker said.
Ms. Tucker's daughter, Connie Tucker-Smith, is now a fourth-generation Vance member, working with the 71st Medical Group life skills support center. She admired her mother's perseverance to remain on base.
"My mother started as a GS-3 with no degree, and then remained a GS-4 for a very long time," Ms. Tucker-Smith said. "She was even part of standing up what's now the family support center. It wasn't until very late in her career she had a commander finally help her get a GS-11 position. Because of this, she made my brother and I go to school and get our degrees, so we would not have the same hardships. However, she always stuck with it, and because of her I always strive to do better."
Ms. Ecker and Ms. Tucker still reside in Enid and maintain strong ties with Team Vance.
"I still have many friends here I keep in touch with," Ms. Ecker said. "People here were truly blessings in my life. I always felt, and still feel, like a part of the Vance and Air Force family. My sister even says I should be a recruiter because I can never say enough to support and encourage the base."