Maj Gen Kathy Thomas, USAF (ret) has chosen to retire in southern Utah.

Her military record includes serving during important historical events: helping to write the plan to fully integrate women in the US Air Force, supporting the rescue of the merchant ship SS Mayaguez and helping settle refugees after the evacuation from Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Saigon, Vietnam.
She began her career as a squadron section commander of 1400 airmen. She was an intelligence officer, briefing air crews and senior staff during Desert Storm. Thomas cross trained into the military space career field. She crewed in Cheyenne Mountain where she tracked US & global satellites. She was the first female to be promoted to general in the US military space program. Her last duty was as senior staff at the USAF Academy - she was the first female general officer to be assigned at the academy.