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Re: Most Decorated Female USAF Airmen
Rachael SalyerMar 23, 2017 12:35 PM (in response to Melody Gemuend)
2 people found this helpfulDear Melody,
Records of medals received by individual members of the Air Force (and other branches of the military) would be part of their Official Military Personnel Files (OMPFs). The National Archives does not maintain these personnel records for active members of the military; those are held by individual branches of the military and--for personal privacy reasons--would not be available to the public. OMPFs for discharged or deceased veterans are held at the National Personnel Records Center (NPRC) in St. Louis. Most of these records are still not available to the public (i.e. are not part of our archival holdings), again for personal privacy reasons. You can find more information at these websites:
Military Personnel Records | National Archives
What is an Official Military Personnel File (OMPF)? | National Archives
Official Military Personnel Files (OMPF), Archival Holdings | National Archives
In looking for information about military awards and decorations for women who are currently in the Air Force, you might be able to find useful information in newspaper articles and press releases. Sites like the Air Force News and Air Force Times could potentially provide you with the information you're looking for. The Air Force Personnel Center also has some information about Awards and Decorations.
Regarding medals awarded to female airmen who are deceased or who have been discharged from the Air Force, you might want to contact the Air Force Historical Research Agency.
Finally, if you are interested more generally in records related to women who have served in the Air Force, you can find some relevant series in the National Archives Catalog. Here's a sample of some search results you might find:
https://catalog.archives.gov/search?q=women%20in%20the%20air%20force
Best of luck with your search!