She Paved The Way For Women In The Air Force | Bobi Pike-Oates | US Military
Bobi Pike-Oates, retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, aircraft maintenance pioneer, tells their story to Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas.
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- In this story
- Bobi Pike-Oates, Retired Air Force Senior Master Sergeant, aircraft maintenance pioneer
- Service branch
- U.S. Air Force
- Published
- Running time
- 57 minutes (57:19)
- Production
- Filmed by Vegas Veteran Voices, a Veteran-led nonprofit in Las Vegas
“I’d have to work three times as hard to prove myself, but that’s what I did.”
About this story
Senior Master Sergeant (Ret.) Bobi Pike-Oates is a trailblazer who proved the U.S. Air Force wrong. From being told she didn’t belong on the flight line, to standing up the first Predator UAV Reconnaissance Squadron, to leading ceremonies for unaccompanied Veterans every Thursday in Nevada, Bobi’s story is one of resilience, defiance, and honor.
In this episode of Vegas Veteran Voices, we go deep into her journey:
• Breaking barriers as a woman in Air Force aircraft maintenance.
• Being handpicked to help build the Predator drone program from the ground up.
• Deployments to Turkey and Hungary that reshaped her leadership.
• Her mission today: honoring forgotten Veterans and advocating for women who served.
This is not just a military story. It’s a story about pioneering technology, challenging bias, and living a life of service long after the uniform comes off.
Learn More About Bobi Pike-Oates
• VA Veteran of the Day profile: https://news.va.gov/115948/veteranoftheday-air-force-roberta-pike-oates
• KNPR Desert Companion profile: https://knpr.org/magazine-desert-companion/2015-11-21/profile-roberta-bobi-pike-oates-women-veterans-advisory-committee
• Nevada Department of Veterans Services, Speakers Bureau: https://veterans.nv.gov/speakers-bureau
• KTNV feature (Veteran of the Month): https://www.ktnv.com/positivelylv/hometown-heroes/local-woman-to-be-honored-as-veteran-of-the-month
In their words
“It’s not about you. It’s about a bigger calling. It’s taking care of our nation.”
