The Utah National Guard’s first female general will officially retire Sunday, but she received a grand send-off Thursday.
Brig. Gen. Christine Burckle, of the Utah Air National Guard, received the Legion of Merit, the seventh highest award for the U.S. Air Force.
Burckle, 53, received the honor during her retirement ceremony at Wright Air National Guard Base — the same place she received her star in 2016 and took command of the 1,400 airmen in the Utah Air National Guard. Mostly, that consists of the 151st Air Refueling Wing.
Burckle received her commission in 1988 from the University of North Carolina.