Colonel Bree Fram is an American military officer, astronautical engineer, and transgender activist. She served in the United States Air Force during the Iraq War and was deployed to Iraq and Qatar as part of the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Fram is as an officer in the United States Space Force and, as the first transgender woman to be promoted to the rank of colonel, she is the highest-ranking transgender officer in the United States Armed Forces. She came out as transgender in 2016, while serving in a command position, and served through the re-imposition of the transgender military ban from 2019 to 2021. Fram co-leads the United States Department of the Air Force's LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team and, from 2021 to 2023, served as president of the military transgender advocacy nonprofit organization SPARTA Pride.
Bree Fram | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service | United States Air Force United States Space Force |
| Years of service | 2003–present |
| Rank |  Colonel |
| Battles / wars | Iraq War |
| Website | breefram.com |
| Education | |
| Occupation | engineer |
| Spouse | Peg Abrahamson |
| Children | 2 |
Education
editFram graduated from the University of Minnesota with a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering in 2001. She earned a master of science degree in astronautical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 2007 and a master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in 2021.[1]
Career
editFram worked as an astronautical engineer and lieutenant colonel in the United States Air Force until 2023.[2] She serves as an active duty officer in the United States Space Force at The Pentagon, becoming a colonel in January 2024.[3] Fram is currently one of the highest-ranking out transgender officers in the United States Military and the highest ranking transgender member of the United States Department of Defense.[3][4] Fram is the first transgender woman to be promoted to the rank of colonel.[5]
She served in a research and development command position for United States Air Force security cooperation activity in Iraq and was deployed to Iraq and Qatar as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.[4][1] She also served in the Air Force Directorate of Strategic Plans as a legislative fellow at the United States Capitol on the staff of Congresswoman Madeleine Bordallo.[4] She is a co-leader of the United States Department of the Air Force's LGBTQ+ Initiatives Team.[1]
Fram served as president and board chair of SPARTA Pride, an advocacy nonprofit organization for transgender military personnel, from April 2021 to April 2023.[3] She had previously served for eight years in other leadership roles within the organization.[3]
She was awarded the LGBTQ+ Annual Recognition Award for Engineering by Out to Innovate in 2022.
Fram worked as an editor of the 2021 book With Honor and Integrity: Transgender Troops in Their Own Words and its 2025 sequel, With Valor and Visibility: The Next Chapter of Transgender Service in 2025.[6] In 2024, she co-authored the book Forging Queer Leaders: How the LGBTQIA+ Commnity Creates Impact from Adversity.[6]
In October 2024, Fram was included in Out's Out 100 list recognizing LGBTQ+ people for their achievements.[5]
Personal life
editFram lives in Northern Virginia.[3] She and her wife, Peg Abrahamson Fram, have two children.[7]
She came out as a transgender woman in 2016 and transitioned while in a command position, serving through the re-imposition of the transgender military ban from 2019 to 2021.[3]
References
edit- ^ a b c "Transgender colonel claps back at Libs of TikTok attacks". www.advocate.com. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ Shapiro, Ari; Caldwell, Noah (2018-03-26). "Transgender Air Force Officer On Trump's Ban And Supportive Fellow Troops". NPR.
- ^ a b c d e f "Bree Fram". SPARTA. 2024-08-02. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ a b c "Bree Fram". www.aiaa.org. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ a b "The 2024 Out100: Col. Bree Fram". www.out.com. Retrieved 2024-10-21.
- ^ a b "About Me". BreeFram.com. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Top Trans Officer Bree Fram on the Military, Marriage, and Joining Space Force". The Daily Beast. 2021-08-20. Retrieved 2024-10-21.