Boozman praises 40-year veteran

U.S. Sen. John Boozman last week highlighted the work of retired Chief Warrant Officer 5 Pamela Huff, a 1975 graduate of Hall High School in Little Rock who served her nation for more than four decades.

Huff enrolled in the Army National Guard, completing her basic training at Fort Jackson, S.C. From there, she headed to Fort Sam Houston, Texas, and was trained to become a dental technician.

After working in that field for a few years, she decided to apply for a job at Camp Robinson in North Little Rock.

She was hired to work for the Combined Support Maintenance Service. She advanced quickly, eventually becoming the first female chief warrant officer 5 and “the first black female noncommissioned officer at the NCO academy,” Boozman said.

As the Persian Gulf War neared, Huff was stationed at Fort Sill, Okla., overseeing its mobilization station. She would eventually receive the Meritorious Service Medal.

Huff, who retired earlier this year, was interviewed for the Veterans History Project. Boozman is submitting the recording to the Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center, which has spearheaded the oral history initiative.

In a news release, the Republican from Rogers said he is “grateful” for Huff’s service and glad that she was willing to be interviewed.

“Her memories of military service are an important part of our history, and I am pleased to be able to collect and preserve her stories,” he added.