Off the Water: Overcoming Hardships with Christy Kinsey

Christy Kinsey, formerly Wise, born in Reno, Nevada, grew up skiing and playing sports with her twin sister and younger brother. She attended the United States Air Force Academy, where she ski raced and played softball. Commissioned in 2009, she received pilot wings in 2011, flying the HC-130. After a hit-and-run boat incident in 2015 resulting in the loss of her right leg, she persevered to become the 6th Air Force pilot (first female) to fly after amputation. Christy won 11 medals in the DOD Warrior Games, competed internationally at two Invictus Games, and co-founded the non-profit One Leg Up On Life with her twin sister, providing prosthetic limbs to Haitian patients. 

Currently, Christy is stationed at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, where she is in charge of 100 cadets in a cadet squadron and flies Cessnas at the airfield with the cadet Flying Team. Her courage and determination to continue her Air Force career while also using her experience to help others exemplifies tremendous resiliency and strength of character.