Tamhra Hutchins-Frye (1960–)

Tamhra (Tammy) Hutchins-Frye was the first woman to obtain the rank of brigadier general in the Arkansas Air National Guard. By the time she retired in 2019, she had received many awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, and Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leaf clusters. She also received the Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, Afghanistan Campaign Medal with bronze star, Arkansas Distinguished Service Medal, and the NATO Medal. She was the first female commander of the 188th Fighter Wing as Mission Support Flight Commander, first female Director of Joint Staff, Headquarters Arkansas Air National Guard, and first female Chief of Joint Staff Arkansas National Guard.

Tamhra Hutchins was born in Bakersfield, California, on October 25, 1960, to J. C. Hutchins and Paula Jones Hutchins of Lavaca (Sebastian County), near Fort Chaffee. She graduated from Lavaca High School in 1979 and received a BS in elementary education from Arkansas Tech University in Russellville (Pope County) in 1983. She earned an MA in human resource management in 2012 from the Webster University campus in Little Rock (Pulaski County).

Beginning her career as a teacher, she supplemented the low salary by spending the summer as a lifeguard at a Ben Geren Park public pool. While doing so, she was fascinated by the sight of F-4 Phantom jets taking off and landing at the regional airport at Fort Smith (Sebastian County) across the highway from the pool. She credits that experience with inspiring her to contact an Air Force (Air National Guard) recruiter. On November 3, 1984, she joined the 188th Fighter Wing/Personnel Specialists as an Airman First Class. She made it her goal to become an officer, which she did within five years. She received her commission in 1989 through the Academy of Military Science in Knoxville, Tennessee.

She completed numerous trainings and programs during her time in the Air National Guard, including the U.S. Northern Command (NORTHCOM) Joint Staff Training Course at Camp Joseph T. Robinson in North Little Rock (Pulaski County) in 2008. That unit plans, organizes, and executes homeland defense and civil support missions.

Climbing through the ranks, Hutchins-Frye spent most of her career in the area of personnel, holding various assignments in the 188th Fighter Wing in Fort Smith, the 189th Airlift Wing at the Little Rock Air Force Base, and Arkansas Air National Guard and Joint Force Headquarters at Camp Robinson.

One of her most memorable assignments took place in 2013 when she volunteered for deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan. There, she served as chief of staff on a task force for the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) with a mission of assisting the Afghan government’s transition to self-rule. Like other senior leaders, she received extensive training prior to going to Afghanistan. A blue-eyed officer with blond hair like herself became a target that jeopardized both the individual and others, so she cut her hair short and dyed it brown.

Her final assignment before retirement was what she called her dream job: Director of Manpower, Personnel and Services and Recruiting at the Air National Guard Readiness Center, Joint Base Andrews in Maryland.

She retired in 2019, settling in Hot Springs Village (Garland and Saline Counties) with her husband Edsel A. “Archie” Frye Jr. (Colonel, USAF Ret.). They have three children: Richard “Trey” Gray III, Brittany Ann Dickinson, and Robert “Tyler” Gray.

Among the dozens of major awards and decorations that she earned during her military career are the Air Force Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Achievement Medal with two oak leaf clusters, Air Force Longevity Service with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award with two oak leaf clusters, Air Reserve Forces Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with bronze star, Armed Forces Service Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, Air Force Longevity Service with silver and two bronze oak leaf clusters, Arkansas Service Ribbon with silver diamond, Arkansas Emergency Service Ribbon, Arkansas Secretary of State Diamond Award, Arkansas Secretary of State Capitol Citation, and Arkansas National Guard Women Trailblazer.

For additional information:
“Brigadier General Tamhra L. Hutchins-Frye.” National Guard Bureau, Department of Defense. https://www.nationalguard.mil/portals/31/Features/ngbgomo/bio/3/3038.html (accessed February 6, 2025).

Field, Hunter. “Air Guard to Pin Star, Get 1st Woman General.” Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, June 4, 2016, pp. 1A, 5A. Online at https://www.nwaonline.com/news/2016/jun/04/air-guard-to-pin-star-get-1st-woman-gen/ (accessed February 6, 2025).

Johansen, Sandy. “Who’s in Charge Now?” Hot Springs Village Life, January 2024, pp. 29–33. https://alpha.creativecirclecdn.com/hotsprings/files/20231218-140942-HSV%20Life%20January%202024.pdf (accessed February 6, 2025).

Nancy Hendricks
Garland County Historical Society