SMSgt Wanda Joell
About
SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT
WANDA M. JOELL
Senior Master Sergeant Wanda Joell was born on October 7, 1963 to Darius Sinclair and Jacqueline Ann Joell. After leaving the beautiful island of Bermuda in 1969, she then grew up in Schenectady, NY; she graduated from Linton High School in 1981 and enlisted in the United States Air Force in Nov. of 1982. Upon completion of Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas, she attended and graduated from Traffic Management School at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX.
In April 1983 she began her first duty assignment as a Traffic Specialist at RAF Mildenhall, England. While stationed there she was a member of the women’s varsity basketball team, base choir and the base Honor Guard. She was selected for below the zone to Senior Airman and nominated for USAFE Traffic Management Airman of the Year.
In August 1985 she continued in Traffic Management field at Grissom Air Force Base, Indiana. Her duties there included receiving notification of 300 incoming personal property shipments per month coordinating deliveries between commercial carriers and DOD members. While there she performed in the TOPS in BLUE talent show and won 1st Place in the Potpourri Category, and also served on the Elite Honor Guard team.
In 1986 she made a career change and was assigned as an In- flight Passenger Service Specialist with the 99th Airlift Squadron where she flew as a crew member on numerous aircraft types and became an
instructor on both the C-9/C-20. She was later selected as one of six persons to serve as an AF Two Flight Attendant. In 1990, she was selected to join the Presidential Airlift Squadron and transitioned to the VC-25 aircraft. She served a total of four Presidents; President Bush 41, President Clinton, President Bush 43, and President Obama! Also Chosen as Superintendent of First Lady Operations to manage and supervise the Presidents First Lady Flights (Mrs. Bush, Mrs. Clinton, and Mrs. Obama). In 2000 recognized by STEP promotion to MSgt. During her flying career, SMSgt Joell has more than 5,000 total flying hours documented on various aircraft types on which she has served.
SMSgt Joell takes her place in history as the first African American Woman to be selected to serve aboard Air Force One.
SMSgt Joell holds a Master of Science Degree in Human Resource Management, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management, and an Associate’s Degree in Aircrew Operations and has numerous military awards and decorations.
SMSgt Joell has been blessed with a son, Darius Julian Joell, a future NBA player.