ALTUS AIR FORCE BASE, Okla. -- The 97th Air Mobility Wing LGBTQ+ and Allies Pride Committee welcomed guest speaker U.S. Space Force Lt. Col. Bree Fram, astronautical engineer, during a Pride Month luncheon at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, June 5, 2023.
Fram is one of the highest ranking, openly transgender officers in the U.S. military. She is president of Service Members, Partners, Allies for Respect and Tolerance for All, an organization that advocates for transgender military service members, focusing on policy, diversity issues and education.
The event was held to emphasize the importance of inclusion in today’s Department of Defense and in hearing voices that have historically been silenced.
“There’s science showing that diverse teams produce better outcomes, but diversity without inclusion is meaningless,” said Fram. “It’s an inclusive culture that enables people to speak up, share their perspective, and truly add value to the mission.”
U.S. Air Force Capt. Pamela Quigney, 97th Force Support Squadron operations officer in charge and Pride Month event lead, shared the importance of the panel for service members.
“Representation matters and it is very important for us LGBTQ+ members to have someone to look up to,” she said. “Lt. Col. Fram’s message today shows there are visible transgender people who are successful.”
The Altus AFB LGBTQ+ and Allies Pride Committee will be holding other events throughout June including a color run and a Pride Month discussion panel.