Air Force historian--a real job?

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Stan Coleman
  • 509th Bomb Wing Public Affairs
WHITEMAN AIR FORCE BASE, Mo. --  She has a quiet demeanor--low key, unthreatening and gentle. But don't let that fool you. She is as passionate about her work as any A-type personality or creative individual or historic figure such as General George S. Patton or even Mr. Ray Charles. 

She is Dr. Margaret DePalma, 509th Bomb Wing historian, dedicated to the documentation of the history of the 509th Bomb Wing. She also handles customer requests regarding historic facts and information that may verify some military historic aspect of someone's family member. Dr. DePalma earned her doctorate in American History at Miami University, Oxford, Ohio. 

"Was grandpa really with the 509th Composite Group at Tinian Island in the Pacific?" Or the question may be about the public affairs officer who release a statement saying 'little green men had been found in the farmer's field' when the 509th was based at Roswell Army Air Field, N.M. in 1947.
Why is history or the study of history so important? 

"The study of the past is a necessary component for living in the future," said Dr. DePalma. "The past informs us about who we are connected to and what decisions have been made that affect our lives in the present. History also reveals how we can use this information to move forward and make wise decisions." 

The primary objective of an Air Force historian is to create the only permanent record of what happens in unit so the American people will have the ability to know how the resources entrusted to the military were used to defend the nation. 

Air Force historians are found at nearly every level of the Air Force command structure, collecting information during peacetime and wartime. The higher echelons have designated historian positions while the units that fall under the wing echelon have members that have historian responsibilities as an additional duty. While traditionally the historian job was once a military member's duty, many units have assigned the historian job function to a civilian government service position. 

Historian duties 

The Air Force historian collects documents covering a six or 12 month period from various wing organizations. "We search out significant things that happen in the unit and find the documents (evidence) to support those occurrences. We analyze the information and then write the story," said Dr. DePalma. 

"Our other duties include assisting the wing commander and staff with any inquiries. The historian answers questions from organizations on base as well as those from the civilian populace," she said. 

"We get to meet individuals from across a wide spectrum of time. There are individuals who talk to us or share information through photographs and/or letters and there are those who wander into the office and tell us their stories in person," said Dr. DePalma. 

"The Airmen and civilians who serve here now are creating the present history to be shared with future generations." The current history being documented will contain information on aircraft, weapons and individuals. Your great grandchildren may want to know what type of maintenance duties their grandfather performed on the B-2 Spirit or which B-2 aircraft their great uncle few during Operation Allied Force in 1999. 

Keeping track of all of the 509th BW activities in terms of personnel and aircraft does offer a challenge. "The amount of exercises, inspections, and general day to day life take a tremendous amount of coordination and time to document into a coherent story," she said. 

Dr. DePalma advises any young person who is interested in pursuing the discipline of history as a career to develop a high tolerance for ambiguity. "In other words, we may come in the morning with a plan for getting certain things accomplished, but the plan quickly falls apart," she said. "We're responsible for answering questions from internal, external and higher command sources." 

Dr. DePalma has 15 years experience in the field of history. She has 10 years of federal service experience.