The U.S. Air Force might not have publicly announced an official influencer program for active-duty Airmen just yet, but one southern sorority girl is certainly flying straight into that role—algorithm first.
Meet Timber Williams, a 23-year-old Phi Mu sister, recent University of Tennessee grad, and private pilot who’s serving in the Air National Guard while building a growing TikTok following. With just over 16,000 followers today, Timber isn’t viral-famous yet—but she’s clearly putting in the work to get there. And based on her viral “day in the life” style content—like the nearly 1-million-views clip of her waking up in bed with her boyfriend before changing into her Air Force uniform—she might not be in microinfluencer territory for long.
Born to fly and bred for Instagram, Timber earned her private pilot’s license while still in college and serving as an enlisted member of the Air National Guard. She’s already shown a knack for balancing the military’s demands with the sorority-girl-next-door aesthetic that makes her relatable—and marketable.
But for Timber, service runs deeper than just social media engagement. Her late grandfather served as a pilot in the U.S. Air Force, and according to Timber, he’s the reason she chose to pursue aviation in the first place.
“My ultimate goal is to follow in the footsteps of my granddad, who exemplified greatness as an Air Force pilot and served our country honorably,” she wrote in a post celebrating her pilot’s license. “Your pride in the service and your strong influence in allowing me to build my passion for aviation will always be cherished.”
His legacy seems to be living on through her flight path—and her growing influence among a new generation of would-be airmen.
“Serving in U.S. Air Force and getting to be a part of something much larger than myself is the biggest honor I have been given,” Timber wrote in a heartfelt Instagram caption. “I just want you girls to know, that no matter what they say… You really can do both.”
Now that she’s graduated and moved into a high-rise in Fort Lauderdale, it’s unclear whether she’s transferred to a Florida ANG unit—or is still attached to Tennessee’s 134th Air Refueling Wing.
@timberwilliams Come with me for drill weekend 🦅 #usa🇺🇸 #military #militarywomen #airforce #nationalguard ♬ Courtesy of the Red, White and Blue – Countdown Nashville
While assigned to the unit, they supported the 2022 Smoky Mountain Air Show, where Timber managed to snag a coveted flight on the Navy’s Blue Angels “Fat Albert” C-130.
In official photos from the day, Timber can be seen sitting next to local media rep Kristen Gallant—though her name wasn’t mentioned in the official 134th ARW Facebook post. Sharp-eyed sleuths also noted Timber was wearing a patch bearing the word “intel,” though it didn’t match any easily recognizable squadron or wing emblems. It closely resembles something from the 151st Refueling Wing, but we couldn’t positively ID it.
Whether or not she’s being quietly groomed as a recruiting tool, her story fits the mold of the Air Force’s recent push to showcase more “authentic voices” online.
Back in 2021, Maj. Gen. Edward Thomas, head of the Air Force Recruiting Service, publicly stated the branch was leaning into social media and giving airtime to enlisted members and officers who could tell their stories online. The goal? Humanize the uniform. Inspire young people. And yes—diversify the Air Force’s image.
By 2023, that effort had expanded to include partnerships with civilian influencers and digital campaigns like the “Women in Sports” initiative. Although the Air Force has not publicly released a roster of in-uniform influencers the way the Army just did, the writing is on the wall—or more accurately, all over TikTok.
Meanwhile, the Army’s Creative Reserve program is already naming names—people like Tyler Butterworth, “MandatoryFunDay,” and @quuen_baby—who are openly collaborating with the branch to connect with Gen Z audiences. These content creators aren’t getting paid, but they are given access to resources and events to help them organically tell the Army’s story.
And while the Air Force still appears to be testing the waters, last week’s Beale AFB air show proved they’re not staying traditional for long. Rather than invite the usual legacy media, the 9th Reconnaissance Wing brought in aviation-themed microinfluencers—some still in high school—to build buzz and broaden reach.
“You’ve got your folks that are established, right, and then you’ve got the folks who are trying to get established,” said retired Master Sgt. Charlene Spade, media ops chief at Beale. “We want to share the opportunity for a lot of people.”
Timber Williams fits that second category perfectly: Not yet a household name, but clearly headed somewhere—and looking great doing it. While the Air Force continues to play it cool with official endorsements, don’t be surprised if Timber ends up center stage in future campaigns.
After all, what recruiter wouldn’t want a southern blonde private pilot who can quote scripture, crush stereotypes, and pull a million views in her pajamas?
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