Colonel Martha McSally’s induction into the Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame, originally scheduled for this Saturday, has been delayed until 2015 due to the demands on her schedule created by the complexities of potential ballot challenges and the pending recount in her Arizona congressional race it was announced yesterday.

McSally, who grew up in Warwick, leads incumbent Democrat Ron Barber by 161 votes out of 219,000 ballots cast. The slim margin triggers Arizona’s first automatic recount in a congressional election that is expected to take place no sooner than December.

Frank Lennon of the hall of fame said in a release the 12th annual ceremony and dinner will take place as scheduled this Saturday at the Scottish Rite Masonic Center in Cranston.

Career Naval Aviator Vice Admiral Walter “Ted” Carter, Superintendent of the U.S. Naval Academy and a Burrillville native will be the guest of honor. The deceased inductee is Brigadier General Donald “Bud” Guilfoyle, USAF (Ret) 1918-2011.

McSally went to Bay View Academy and earned an honorary doctorate in Civil Law from Rhode Island College. Her late father, Bernard McSally, was the chairman of the School Committee and her mother, Ellie McSally, was a teacher at Scott Elementary School.

A retired Air Force colonel, McSally said in an interview this spring she does not think of herself as a politician, but believes “changing Washington means changing who represents us” and she wants to lead the way.

She said, “The whole country is frustrated with D.C. because of the lack of leadership. Too many people are concerned with their next election instead of the next generation.”

McSally is a woman of firsts, and her career proves she has the leadership qualities needed. She was the first woman in U.S. history to fly a fighter pilot in combat as well as to command a fighter squadron in combat. She also successfully overturned a military policy that required servicewomen to wear the religious Muslim Abaya when off base.