Editing Heather Wilson (section)

== Early life and education ==
Wilson was born on December 30, 1960, in [[Keene, New Hampshire|Keene]], [[New Hampshire]], the daughter of Martha Lou, nurse, and George Douglas Wilson, a commercial pilot and member of the [[Experimental Aircraft Association]].<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/local/area-native-is-president-s-pick-for-air-force-secretary/article_518a4407-f7ab-5aa3-8728-8fde88e1e6a1.html|title=Area native is president's pick for Air Force secretary |work=SentinelSource.com|access-date=May 15, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=http://nmpolitics.net/index/2012/05/difficult-childhood-drove-wilson-to-seek-a-better-life/ |title=Difficult childhood drove Wilson to seek a better life|work=NMPolitics.net|access-date=May 15, 2017|language=en-US}}</ref> Wilson grew up around aviation and hoped to become a pilot like her father and grandfather before her.<ref name=":0" /> Her paternal grandparents were born in [[Scotland]].<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/polishing-a-hidden-gem/article_7b58e37d-536c-5172-a70f-2673ce7f5a34.html|title=Polishing a hidden gem|work=Rapid City Journal|access-date=May 15, 2017|language=en}}</ref> Her grandfather, George Gordon "Scotty" Wilson, flew for the [[Royal Air Force]] in [[World War I]] and emigrated to America in 1922 where he was a [[Barnstorming|barnstormer]] and airport operator in the 1920s and 1930s. He served as a courier pilot during [[World War II]] and started the [[New Hampshire]] [[Civil Air Patrol]] where he was a Wing Commander.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Woster|first1=Kevin|title=Wilson carries Frost, Tennyson on road less traveled to lead Air Force |url=http://www.sdpb.org/blogs/kevinwoster/heather-wilson-and-the-road-to-be-taken/|access-date=May 16, 2017|publisher=South Dakota Public Broadcasting|date=February 23, 2017}}</ref> Her father started flying at age 13 and enlisted in the [[United States Air Force]] after high school.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Rubin|first1=Jennifer|title=Interview: Heather Wilson, Senate candidate |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/right-turn/post/interview-heather-wilson-senate-candidate/2012/04/18/gIQAqfwIRT_blog.html |access-date=February 13, 2017|newspaper=Washington Post|date=April 18, 2012}}</ref>

The [[United States Air Force Academy]] began admitting women during Wilson's junior year at [[Keene High School]] ([[Keene, New Hampshire|Keene]], [[New Hampshire]]). She applied and was appointed to the Academy.<ref name=":0" /> At the Academy, she was the first woman to command basic training and the first woman Vice Wing Commander.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.prweb.com/releases/president_heather_wilson_inauguration_set_for_oct_4_at_south_dakota_school_of_mines_technology/prweb11146743.htm|title=President Heather Wilson Inauguration Set for Oct. 4 at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology|work=PRWeb|access-date=May 15, 2017}}</ref> She graduated in 1982 as a Distinguished Graduate (''[[magna cum laude]]'' equivalent).<ref name="hwilson">{{cite web|url=http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=w000789 |title=Wilson, Heather|publisher=United States Congress|access-date=March 10, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.dobbins.afrc.af.mil/News/Article-Display/Article/1064406/white-house-nominates-academy-grad-heather-wilson-to-become-air-force-secretary/|title=White House nominates Academy grad Heather Wilson to become Air Force|work=Dobbins Air Reserve Base|access-date=May 15, 2017}}</ref> Wilson earned a [[Rhodes Scholarship]] to study at the [[University of Oxford]] and continued her education at [[Jesus College, Oxford|Jesus College]], earning an [[Master of Philosophy|M.Phil.]] and [[Doctor of Philosophy|D.Phil.]] in [[international relations]] by 1985.<ref name="hwilson" />

In 1990, [[Oxford University Press]] published her book, ''International Law and the Use of Force by National Liberation Movements'',<ref>{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=MNj5hzOHIasC |title=International Law and the Use of Force by National Liberation Movements|last=Wilson|first=Heather A.|date=1990 |publisher=Clarendon Press|isbn=9780198256625|language=en}}</ref> which won the 1988 [[Paul Reuter (lawyer)|Paul Reuter]] Prize of the [[International Committee of the Red Cross]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/reuter-fund-010705.htm#2 |title=Paul Reuter Prize |publisher=icrc.org |date=November 19, 2010 |access-date=August 13, 2011}}</ref> The Paul Reuter Prize is awarded for a major work in the sphere of international humanitarian law. Wilson won the second Reuter prize ever awarded.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.icrc.org/eng/resources/documents/misc/57jn63.htm |title=The Paul Reuter Prize |publisher=icrc.org |date=November 30, 2010 |access-date=August 13, 2011}}</ref>

An Air Force officer for seven years, Wilson was a negotiator and political adviser to the [[U.S. Air Force]] in the United Kingdom, and a defense planning officer for [[NATO]] in Belgium, where her work included arms control negotiations.<ref>{{Cite news |url=https://www.newspapers.com/newspage/156329171/|title=Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico on April 30, 1998 &middot; Page 2|work=Newspapers.com|access-date=May 15, 2017|language=en}}</ref>