Thornton Academy Postscripts Alumni Magazine Spring 2019 | Page 4

BUILDING THE TRADITION
Donna Houde Prigmore ’81 continues Thornton’s legacy of
military excellence
Aboard a Blackhawk helicopter with Lieutenant Daniel Hokanson, Vice Chief of the National Guard Bureau.
Being part of the Air Force has allowed Prigmore to travel
and explore the world. In addition to spending a year in
South Korea, she has participated in missions in Ecuador,
Bangladesh, and Bulgaria among other locations. In Ecuador,
she had the opportunity to work in a small village to rebuild
a school.
On August 5, 2018, Donna Houde Prigmore ’81 was promoted
to brigadier general in the Oregon Air National Guard.
A
sk Donna Houde Prigmore ’81 about her time spent
in the Air Force and Air National Guard and she
will regale you with stories of the many jobs she has
had in the military, traveling worldwide while working on
international collaborative missions, and striking a balance
between her civilian job and role as Commander of the
Oregon Air National Guard. But what she will also mention
is her time as a student at Thornton Academy and how it
grounded her and gave her the foundation from which she
has been able to soar.
On August 5, 2018, Prigmore became the first woman
and general officer in the Oregon Air National Guard to
be promoted to the rank of brigadier general. Becoming
a brigadier general is a big deal - the rank of brigadier
general is a one-star general. Since then, Prigmore has been
promoted once more to the Commander of the Oregon Air
National Guard. Although her first assignment as a general
was as the “Assistant to the Adjutant General for Oregon,”
Prigmore was re-assigned to a position of even greater
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responsibility when she became the Commander of the
Oregon Air National Guard (a position never before held
by a female).
She has served in the military for more than 34 years now
and says that her military service has been the highlight of
her life. Prigmore originally enlisted on active duty in the
Air Force after her freshman year of college to help pay for
her education.
“My family didn't have a lot of money. My father told me
that if my education was that important to me, I could join
the Air Force,” Prigmore recounted about her decision.
“It's a humbling experience to witness the poverty that other
people live in. It's sobering - we have it really good here,”
Prigmore related about her experience in Ecuador.
In Bangladesh, Prigmore worked with military personnel
from many other countries on a collaborative emergency
response exercise.
“This experience helped me to realize that even though
countries may not agree on a geo-political level, citizens
around the world are just real people like you and I. We
all have our own sets of challenges. We're all trying to do
our best,” she said.
Prigmore credits her alma mater with setting her on
the path to success. In addition to receiving a top-notch
academic education at Thornton Academy, she developed
life-long friendships and connections with her classmates
that have grounded her as she has flown around the world.
She advises future TA grades to find a passion that is
meaningful and provides both extrinsic and intrinsic value.
For her, serving in the military has been the highlight of her
life and has provided value and opportunity for growth.
“Becoming a brigadier general has been a lot of work and
required a lot of patience and perseverance. I would do it
all over again. It's an absolute privilege to serve alongside
others in the greatest nation in the world.” Prigmore said.
Visiting Washington D.C. with sister
Karen Houde Waycott ’79.
After four years enlisted as active duty, Prigmore decided
to pursue a career as a civilian, but wanted to maintain her
commitment to the Air Force, so she joined the Oklahoma
Air National Guard. She stated that she has enjoyed the
balance of having a civilian career and the purposeful
mission that the military provides.
“It's an honor to serve alongside the caliber of people that
I work with in the military,” Prigmore said.
Story by Katy Nicketakis · Photos Courtesy of Donna Houde Prigmore '81
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