Retired June 2002
Major
General Verna Dean Fairchild is the Air National Guard (ANG) assistant to the director,
Air National Guard for Base Operational Support Readiness. She is responsible for assisting and advising
the director on support readiness issues that are or will be impacting the Air National
Guard. She also serves in an advisory capacity to the ANG Committee of Advisors.
The general has the distinction of recording several firsts in Air Force and Air National Guard history. She was the first member of the Nursing Corps to become a commander of an Air National Guard Tactical Hospital in June 1986. In June of 1990 she became the first Air National Guard assistant for nursing to the surgeon general of the Air Combat Command, and on October 16, 1993, she became the first nurse and the first female to be appointed as assistant adjutant general for air in Air National Guard history. The general was also the first female appointed as an ANG representative to the Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee.
1962 Diploma in nursing, Deaconess Hospital School of Nursing, Evansville, Ind.
1972 Bachelor of science in nursing, University of Evansville, Evansville, Ind.
1978 Squadron Officer School, by correspondence
1981 Air Command and Staff College, by correspondence
1987 Air War College, by correspondence
1988 Master's of art in public administration, Kentucky State University, Ky.
1998 Department of Defense National Security Leadership Course, John Hopkins University,
Md.
1. March 1968 - May 1969, general nurse, 930th Tactical Hospital, Bakalar Air Reserve
Base, USAFR, Columbus, Ind.
2. May 1969 - November 1970, officer-in-charge, nursing services, 930th Tactical Hospital,
USAFR, Grissom Air Force Base, Ind.
3. November 1970 - December 1972, chief nurse, 930th Tactical Hospital, USAFR, Grissom Air
Force Base, Ind.
4. December 1972 - January 1974, officer-in-charge, General Therapy Clinic, 931st Tactical
Hospital, USAFR, Grissom Air Force Base, Ind.
5. January l974 - June 1986, chief, nursing services, 123rd Tactical Hospital, Kentucky
Air National Guard, Louisville, Ky.
6. June 1986 - May 1990, commander, 123rd Tactical Hospital, Kentucky Air National Guard,
Louisville, Ky.
7. June 1990 - July 1993, Air National Guard assistant for nursing to the surgeon general,
Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, Va.
8. July 1993 - October 1993, Air National Guard assistant for nursing to the USAF director
of nursing, Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
9. October 1993 - February 1999, assistant adjutant general for air, Headquarters,
Kentucky Air National Guard, Frankfort, Ky.
10. February 1999 - June 2002, Air National Guard assistant to the director, ANG, for
support readiness,Arlington, Va.
Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Meritorious Service Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with five oak leaf clusters
Air Force Organizational Excellence Award
National Defense Service Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Ribbon with six oak leaf clusters
Armed Forces Reserve Medal with hourglass device
Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon
Air Force Training Ribbon
Kentucky Distinguished Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster
Kentucky Merit Ribbon
Kentucky Service Ribbon with five oak leaf clusters
General Fairchild retired from Kentucky state government in 1997 as the assistant to the commissioner of the Kentucky Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation Services. Her major responsibilities were oversight and management of the Commonwealth's facilities for the mentally ill and mentally retarded and the legislative liaison for the department.
Outstanding Company Grade Officer of the Year, 434th Troop Carrier Wing 1968
University of Evansville Alumni Board of Directors
Kentucky Air National Guard Historical Foundation Board of Directors
Air Reserve Forces Policy Committee
Air National Guard Human Resources Quality Board
Air National Guard Committee of Advisors
First Lieutenant Mar 28, 1968
Captain Sep 15, 1969
Major May 21, 1976
Lieutenant Colonel Feb 15, 1983
Colonel Jun 13, 1990
Brigadier General (Tenured) Sep 23, 1994
Brigadier General (Line) Feb 1, 1999
Major General Jun 30, 1999
(Current as of June 2005)
The date of publication indicated on this biography reflects the most recent update. It does not necessarily reflect the date of printing.