MF144 Women in the Military

Document Type

Oral History

Interviewee name

Frances M. Auclair

Interviewer

Kim Sealy, Sarah Lawler

Interview date

11-29-2001

Interview location

Bangor, Maine

Time

00:58:42

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Abstract

Colonel Frances Auclair, interviewed by Kim Sealy and Sarah Lawler, November 29, 2001. Auclair talks about running away to join the army after hearing stories about other’s experiences in it; her parents’ experiences in the Army, followed by Auclair joining the Navy; basic training followed by her first military job; being a hospital corpsman for the Navy; inequalities between gender in the 1970s; a typical day in the military as a woman; her time working in a hospital in MA; her opinion on jobs and work policies; community support for military personal; how leisure time was spent in the hospital and how it is spent now; funny memories from in the military; worst part of working for the military; relationship between men and women in the military; treatment of women in the military in the 70s compared to now; having a medical role in the military versus being in combat. Text: 38 pp. transcript. Time: 03:05:18. Photographs: p14516-p14521.

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Part 1: mfc_na3245_c2355_01
Part 2: mfc_na3245_c2356_01
Part 3: mfc_na3245_c2357_01
Part 4: mfc_na3245_c2357_02

Disciplines

Military History | Oral History | United States History | Women's History

Birth date

March 1951

Location

Lewiston, Androscoggin County, Maine

Nation of origin

United States

Home state/Territory

Maine

Gender

Female

Ethnicity

European-American

Occupation

Assistant Adjutant General, Maine Air National Guard

Civic groups

Bangor Area Chamber of Commerce; Rotary International; National Guard Association of the United States; National Guard Association of Maine; Unit $41, Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Services, National

Comments

Update. Brigadier General Frances M. Auclair (Ret.) enlisted in the United States Navy in 1972 as a Hospital Corpsman. She joined the Maine Air National Guard as an Administrative Clerk in December 1979 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant after completing Officer Training School in 1981. General Auclair served in various operations and command positions and in 2000 was selected as the Vice Commander, 101st Air Refueling Wing. General Auclair was the first non-rated Vice Wing Commander in the Air National Guard.

  • December 1981 - November 1983, Administrative Officer, 243rd Engineering and Installation Squadron, South Portland, Maine
  • November 1983 - December 1985, Logistics Officer, 101st Air Refueling Wing, Bangor, Maine
  • December 1985 - March 1988, Supply Officer, 101st Resource Management Squadron, Bangor, Maine
  • March 1988 -August 1989, Commander, 101st Communications Flight, Bangor, Maine
  • August 1989 -April 1992, Chief, Consolidated Base Personnel Office, Bangor, Maine
  • April 1992 - June 1993, Director of Personnel, 101 st Support Group, Bangor, Maine
  • June 1993 - July 1995, Support Personnel Management Officer, Headquarters, Maine Air National Guard, Augusta, Maine
  • July 1995 - June 2000, Commander, 101st Support Group, Bangor, Maine
  • June 2000 -April 2006, Vice Commander, 101st Air Refueling Wing, Bangor, Maine
  • April 2006 - October 2008, Chief of Staff, Maine Air National Guard, Augusta, Maine
  • October 2008 - n.d., Assistant Adjutant General Air, Maine, National Guard Joint Force Headquarters, Augusta, Maine

Branch of service

Air National Guard

Service Unit

101st Air Refueling Wing, Maine Air National Guard

Date of entry

1972-1976, U.S. Navy; 1978, Maine Air National Guard

Service entry

Commissioned

Location of Service

Bangor, Maine; Augusta, Maine

Awards & Ribbons

Meritorious Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters); Air Force Commendation Medal (with 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters); Air Force Achievement Medal; Air Force Outstanding Unit Award (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster); Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation; Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal; National Defense Service Medal (with 2 Bronze Service Stars); Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Service Medal; Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon (with 1 Silver Oak Leaf Cluster and 2 Bronze Oak Leaf Clusters); Armed Forces Reserve Medal (with Silver Hourglass); Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon; Air Force Training Ribbon (with 1 Bronze Oak Leaf Cluster)

Entry Rank

O-1 2nd Lieutenant

Highest Rank

O-7 Brigadier General

Exit Rank

O-7 Brigadier General

Names

Theresa LeBeck Auclair; Conrad Auclair

Locations

Lewiston, Maine; Alabama; Boston; Philippines; Australia; New Zealand; Bainbridge, Maryland; Orlando, Florida; Lake Michigan; Vietnam; Chelsea, Massachusetts; San Diego, California; San Francisco, California; Kosovo; Gorham, Maine; South Portland, Maine; Afghanistan; Denver, Colorado

Headings

Women in the Military; Gender Segregation; Gender Roles; PTSD

Collection name

Women in the Military

Collection number

MF144

Item number

NA3245

Rights and Access Note

This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. In addition, no permission is required from the rights-holder(s) for non-commercial uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). For more information, contact Special Collections.

Colonel Frances Auclair, interviewed by Kim Sealy and Sarah Lawler, Part 1

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