June drill at the 932nd Airlift Wing= retirement showtime!

Lt. Col. Shirley Burke officially retired in June after serving 28 years that included active and Reserve duty. She will tell you it has been a full and rewarding military career. As a school girl growing up in Alabama, Colonel Burke loved science and dreamed of being an aeronautical engineer. After high school, she applied to the Air Force ROTC program during her first year at college. “I tried ROTC, on a ‘look and see’ basis. I wasn’t thinking about a long career in the Air Force at the time,” she said. But, she completed four years of training and received her Air Force ROTC commission in May 1980 upon graduating from Alabama State University. She earned a bachelor’s degree in computer information systems. The “butterbar” Burke began her active duty career in data automation at Langley AFB, VA. At Langley, she was busy learning her profession and making life-long friends. “You always remember your first-duty assignment. Also, you don’t forget the people who helped you along the way.” She still writes and keeps up with many of her former Langley friends and coworkers. Colonel Burke credits a former commander, retired Brig. Gen. Walter Jones, as her career mentor. “He demanded a lot and expected you to know your job. At the same time, he would share his knowledge.” She spent many years and several assignments in the old Air Force Communications Command. Colonel Burke has served as OIC of plans and programs and chief of communications-maintenance. Other assignments include chief of the 2069th Communications Group at Nellis AFB, Nevada. Colonel Burke also served as plans and programs officer at AFCC at Scott. After leaving the active duty Air Force, she joined 932nd AW in January 1993. Based on Colonel Burke’s prior experience, she was selected as chief of the 932nd Communications Flight. Several years later, the flight was eliminated due to a reorganization. “We were a close-knit group and it was a lit