Women in the United States Navy

U.S. Navy Rear Adm. Robin Braun, Commander, Navy Recruiting Command.

Women have served in the United States Navy for over a century. Today, there are over 52,391 women serving on active duty in an array of traditional (administrative, medical, etc.) and non-traditional (aviation, combat systems, special ops, etc.) ratings or careers. Like their male counterparts, female Sailors are expected to adhere to regulations specific to appearance, grooming, and health and physical fitness; however some differences may exist in relation to pregnancy and parenting provisions created to help support military families.

History

Pre–World War I

Women worked as nurses for the Navy as early as the American Civil War. The United States Navy Nurse Corps was officially established in 1908. See United States Navy Nurse Corps for the evolution of the Navy Nurse Corps.

World War I

The increased size of the United States Navy in support of World War I increased the need for clerical and administrative support. Since Naval Reserve Act of 1916 authorizing the enlistment of yeomen did not specify that they had to be male, the Navy was able to induct its first female sailors into the U.S. Naval Reserve. Women served around the continental U.S. and in France, Guam and Hawaii, mostly as yeomen, but also as radio operators, electricians, draftsmen, pharmacists, photographers, telegraphers, fingerprint experts, chemists, torpedo assemblers and camouflage designers. The women were all released from active duty after the end of the war. See Yeoman (F).

World War II

World War II again brought the need for additional personnel. This time the Navy organized to recruit women into a separate women's auxiliary, labeled Women Appointed for Voluntary Emergency Service (WAVES). WAVES served in varied positions around the continental U.S. and in Hawaii. See WAVES.

WAVES Recruiting posters

Korean War era

Women in the Naval Reserve were recalled along with their male counterparts for duty during the Korean War.

Vietnam War era

Nurses served aboard the hospital ship USS SANCTUARY. Nine non-nurse Navy women served in country, however no enlisted Navy women were authorized.

Women in the Navy since 1972

Major changes occurred for Navy women in the 1970s. CAPT Alene B. Duerk, NC, Director of the Navy Nurse Corps since 1968, was spot promoted to Flag rank in 1972, the first female naval officer to be appointed to flag rank. She was followed in 1976 by RADM Fran McKee as the first female unrestricted line officer appointed to flag rank. During this time, women began to enter the surface warfare and aviation fields, gained access to officer accession programs previously open only to men, and women started to screen for command opportunities ashore.

Officer Accession Programs

The Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) was opened to women in 1972 and the first woman was commissioned from a ROTC program in 1973. The Women Officer School (WOS), Newport, RI, was disestablished in 1973, and Officer Candidate School (OCS) training was integrated to support men and women. The United States Naval Academy, along with the other military academies, first accepted women in 1976 and commissioned its first female graduates in 1980. Women also began attending Aviation Officer Candidate School (AOCS) in 1976.

Surface warfare

In 1972 the pilot program for assignment of officers and enlisted women to ships was initiated onboard USS SANCTUARY (AH-17). In 1978 Congress approved a change to Title 10 USC Section 6015 to permit the Navy to assign women to fill sea duty billets on support and noncombatant ships. The Surface Warfare community opened to women. In 1979, the first woman obtained her Surface Warfare Officer (SWO) qualification.

Aviation

In 1973 the Secretary of the Navy announced the authorization of naval aviation training for women. LTJG Judith Neuffer was the first woman selected for flight training. In 1974, the Navy became the first service to graduate a woman pilot, LT Barbara Allen Rainey, followed closely by classmates Judith Neuffer, Ana Marie Fuqua, Rosemary Bryant Mariner, Jane Skiles O'Dea and Joellen Drag.

In 1979 the Naval Flight Officer (NFO) program opened to women. In 1979, LT Lynn Spruill became the first woman Naval aviator to obtain carrier qualification.

Submarines

On 29 April 2010, the Department of the Navy announced authorization of a policy change allowing women to begin serving onboard Navy submarines. The new policy and plan was set to begin with the integration of female Officers. A group of up to 24 female Officers (three Officers on each of eight different crews) were scheduled to enter the standard nuclear submarine training pipeline in July 2010 – and expected to report to submarine duty by late 2011 or early 2012. Integration of Enlisted females into submarine crews is expected to begin soon thereafter.

Initial candidates for female Submarine Officer positions were highly qualified selects from accession sources that include the Naval Academy, Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps, STA-21 program and Officer Candidate School, with transfers possible for those from other Unrestricted Line Officer communities. A group of up to eight female Supply Corps Officers was also expected to complete requisite training and begin submarine service in the same time frame.

Initial assignments for female submariners were on the blue and gold crews of selected guided-missile submarines (SSGNs) and ballistic-missile submarines (SSBNs). Two submarines of each type served as the inaugural vessels.

The first group of U.S. female submariners completed nuclear power school and officially reported on board two ballistic and two guided missile submarines in November 2011.

In 2012, it was announced that 2013 will be the first year women will serve on U.S. attack submarines. On June 22, 2012, a Sailor assigned to USS Ohio (SSGN 726) became the first female supply officer to qualify in U.S. submarines. Lt. Britta Christianson of Ohio's Gold Crew received her Submarine Supply Corps "dolphins" from the Gold Crew Commanding Officer Capt. Rodney Mills during a brief ceremony at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF).

On December 5, 2012, three Sailors assigned to USS Maine (SSBN 741) and USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) became the first female unrestricted line officers to qualify in U.S. submarines. Lt. j.g. Marquette Leveque, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., assigned to the Gold Crew of Wyoming, and Lt. j.g. Amber Cowan and Lt. j.g. Jennifer Noonan [ROTC Cornell University], a native of Scituate MA, both of Maine's Blue Crew received their submarine "dolphins" during separate ceremonies at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., and Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash.

In 2013, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said that the first women to join Virginia-class attack subs had been chosen: They were newly commissioned female officers scheduled to report to their subs in fiscal year 2015.

Milestones

Year	Milestone
1908	Congress established the Navy Nurse Corps.
1917	Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels announced that the Navy would enlist females.
1942	President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the Public Law 689 creating the Navy’s women reserve program on 30 July 1942.
1942	Lieutenant Commander Mildred H. McAfee, USNR, Director of the WAVES, became the Navy’s first female Line Officer.
1944	Lieutenant Harriet Ida Pickens and Ensign Frances Wills were commissioned as the first African-American "WAVES" officers.
1944	Sue Dauser, the Director of the Navy Nurse Corps, became the first female Captain in the United States Navy.
1959	Yeoman Anna Der-Vartanian was the first female promoted to Master Chief Petty Officer, and the first female in the United States Armed Services promoted to E-9.
1961	Lieutenant Charlene I. Suneson became the first line WAVES officer to be ordered to shipboard duty.
1972	The Equal Rights Amendment was passed by Congress (but failed as an amendment to the Constitution) and Hospitalman Elena J. Peckenpaugh was assigned to the first ship with a mixed male-female crew.
1972	Alene Duerk, Director of the Navy Nurse Corps, became the first female appointed to the rank of Rear Admiral in the Navy making her position a flag billet in 1972. Fran McKee was the first female line officer to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the Navy.
1974	Lieutenant Junior Grade Barbara Ann (Allen) Rainey became the first Navy woman to earn her wings on 22 February 1974.
1974	First women commissioned through NROTC.
1976	First women sworn in as midshipmen at the United States Naval Academy.
1978	Navy Nurse Joan C. Bynum became the first black woman promoted to the rank of Captain.
1978	Women authorized to serve on tenders, oilers, and other types of auxiliary ships.
1980	The first class of women graduate from the U.S. Naval Academy. Midshipman Janie Mines was the first African-American woman to graduate.
1990	Rear Admiral Marsha J. Evans, USN, was the first woman to command a Naval Station.
1990	Lieutenant Commander Darlene Iskra, USN, was the first Navy woman to command a ship, USS Opportune (ARS-41).
1996	Patricia Tracey became the first female three star officer (Vice Admiral) in the Navy.
1998	CDR Maureen A. Farren became the first woman to command a surface combatant ship.
1998	Lillian E. Fishburne became the first African-American female to hold the rank of Rear Admiral in the United States Navy.
2002	First female African American combat pilot in the military.
2005	Wendi Carpenter became the first female pilot in the Navy promoted to Flag rank.
2006	CDR Lenora C.Langlais became the first African American Navy Nurse Corps Officer to receive a Purple Heart in combat, during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
2010	Nora W. Tyson became the first female to command a carrier strike group.
2011	The first group of U.S. female submariners completed nuclear power school and officially reported on board two ballistic and two guided missile submarines in November 2011.
2012	Commander Monika Washington Stoker, United States Navy, became the first African American woman to take command of a U.S. Navy missile destroyer.
2012	Five "Tigertails" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Five (VAW-125), embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) as part of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen (CVW-17), flew an historic flight on 25 January when they participated in the U.S. Navy's first all-female E-2C Hawkeye combat mission.
2012	In March, the Navy celebrated a nuclear training program milestone. The program’s 50,000th graduate was a female; MM3 Jenna Swindt, who completed training at the 3,900-acre Kesselring site’s Naval Nuclear Power Training Unit in West Milton, NY.
2012	On June 22, 2012, a Sailor assigned to USS Ohio (SSGN 726) became the first female supply officer to qualify in U.S. submarines. Lt. Britta Christianson of Ohio's Gold Crew received her Submarine Supply Corps "dolphins" from the Gold Crew Commanding Officer Capt. Rodney Mills during a brief ceremony at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility (PSNS & IMF).
2012	On December 5, 2012, three Sailors assigned to USS Maine (SSBN 741) and USS Wyoming (SSBN 742) became the first female unrestricted line officers to qualify in U.S. submarines. Lt. j.g. Marquette Leveque, a native of Fort Collins, Colo., assigned to the Gold Crew of Wyoming, and Lt. j.g. Amber Cowan and Lt. j.g. Jennifer Noonan [ROTC Cornell University], a native of Scituate MA, both of Maine's Blue Crew received their submarine "dolphins" during separate ceremonies at Naval Submarine Base Kings Bay, Ga., and Naval Base Kitsap-Bangor, Wash.

Careers

In the Navy, women are currently eligible to serve in all ratings, except as a SEAL or Special Warfare Combatant-craft Crewman (SWCC). In 2013 Leon Panetta removed the U.S. military's ban on women serving in combat, overturning a 1994 rule prohibiting women from being assigned to smaller ground combat units. Panetta's decision gives the U.S. military services until January 2016 to seek special exceptions if they believe any positions must remain closed to women. The services have until May 2013 to draw up a plan for opening all units to women and until the end of 2015 to actually implement it.

The former policy set by Congress and the Secretary of Defense, effective 1 October 1994, excluded women from direct ground combat billets in the military:

"Service members who are eligible to be assigned to all positions for which they are qualified, except that women shall be excluded from assignment to units below the brigade level whose primary mission is to engage in direct combat on the ground as defined below. "Direct ground combat is engaging an enemy on the ground with individual or crew-served weapons, while being exposed to hostile fire and to a high probability of direct physical contact with the hostile force's personnel. Direct combat take place well forward on the battlefield while locating and closing with the enemy to defeat them by fire, maneuver, or shock effect." However, qualified and motivated women are encouraged to investigate the diver and explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) fields."

Careers in the Navy

Dress

• A certified maternity uniform is mandatory for all pregnant servicewomen in the Navy when the regular uniform no longer fits.
• Ball caps may be worn on board ship and pier in the immediate vicinity of ship, and ashore in the immediate workspaces. The wearing of ball caps with Service uniforms is restricted to the immediate workspaces for shore Sailors.

Grooming Standards

• Hair: The Navy deems that hairstyles shall not be “outrageously multicolored” or “faddish,” to include shaved portions of the scalp (other than the neckline), or have designs cut or braided into the hair. Hair coloring must look natural and complement the individual. Haircuts and styles shall present a balanced appearance. Lopsided and extremely asymmetrical styles are not authorized. Ponytails, pigtails, widely spaced individual hanging locks, and braids that protrude from the head, are not authorized. Multiple braids are authorized. Braided hairstyles shall be conservative and conform to the guidelines listed herein. When a hairstyle of multiple braids is worn, braids shall be of uniform dimension, small in diameter (approx. 1/4 inch), and tightly interwoven to present a neat, professional, well-groomed appearance. Foreign material (i.e., beads, decorative items) shall not be braided into the hair. Short hair may be braided in symmetrical fore and aft rows (cornrowing) that minimize scalp exposure. Cornrow ends shall not protrude from the head, and shall be secured only with inconspicuous rubber bands that match the color of the hair. Appropriateness of a hairstyle shall also be judged by its appearance when headgear is worn. All headgear shall fit snugly and comfortably around the largest part of the head without distortion or excessive gaps. Hair shall not show from under the front of the brim of the combination hat, garrison, or command ball caps. Hairstyles which do not allow headgear to be worn in this manner, or which interfere with the proper wear of protective masks or equipment are prohibited. When in uniform, the hair may touch, but not fall below a horizontal line level with the lower edge of the back of the collar.
• Cosmetics: The Navy prefers that cosmetics be applied in good taste so that colors blend with natural skin tone and enhance natural features. Exaggerated or faddish cosmetic styles are not authorized and shall not be worn. Care should be taken to avoid artificial appearance. Lipstick colors shall be conservative and complement the individual. Long false eyelashes shall not be worn when in uniform.
• Tattoos: Navy policy stipulates that any tattoo/body art/brand that is obscene, sexually explicit or advocates discrimination of any sort is prohibited. No tattoos/body art/brands on the head, face, neck, or scalp and individual tattoos/body art/brands exposed by wearing a short sleeve uniform shirt shall be no larger in size than the wearer’s hand with fingers extended and joined with the thumb touching the base of the index finger.
• Jewelry: Conservative jewelry is authorized for all personnel and shall be in good taste while in uniform. Eccentricities or faddishness are not permitted. Jewelry shall not present a safety or FOD (Foreign object damage) hazard. Jewelry shall be worn within the following guidelines

• Earrings: Earrings for women are an optional item, and are not required for wear. When worn the earring shall be a 4-6mm ball (gold for officers/CPOs, and silver for E-6 and below), plain with brushed, matte finish, screw-on or post type. Pearl earrings may be worn with Dinner Dress or Formal uniforms.
• Rings: While in uniform, only one (1) ring per hand is authorized, plus a wedding/engagement ring set. Rings are not authorized for wear on thumbs.
• Necklaces: While in uniform, only one (1) necklace may be worn and it shall not be visible.
• Bracelets: While in uniform, only one (1) of each may be worn. Ankle bracelets are not authorized while in uniform.

• Fingernails: Fingernails for women shall not exceed 1/4 inch beyond the end of the finger. They shall be kept clean. Nail polish may be worn, but colors shall be conservative and complement the skin tone.

Health & Fitness Standards

The Physical Fitness Assessment (PFA) is conducted twice a year for all sailors, which includes:

• Body Composition Assessment (BCA). Body composition is assessed by:

• An initial weight and height screening
• A Navy-approved circumference technique to estimate body fat percentage

Physical Readiness Test (PRT). PRT is a series of physical activities designed to evaluate factors that enable members to perform physically. Factors evaluated are:

• Muscular strength and endurance via:

1. Curl-ups
2. Push-ups

• Aerobic capacity via:

1. 1.5-mile run/walk, or
2. 500-yard or 450-meter swim

PT Fitness Standards (NSW/NSO programs only):

• The PST consists of five (5) events:

1. 500-yard swim (using sidestroke or breaststroke)
2. Push-Ups (as many as possible in 2-minutes)
3. Sit-Ups (as many as possible in 2-minutes)
4. Pull-Ups (as many as possible, no time limit)
5. 1 ½ mile run

Navy Family Life

Marriage

Spouse co-location assignments are fully supported by the Chief of Naval Personnel and when requested become the highest priority and main duty preference consistent with the needs of the Navy. While not always possible, every effort, with in reason, will be made for military couples and family members to move & serve together. Co-op assignments are not guaranteed.

The service member requesting transfer to join with his/her spouse or family member must have a minimum of one year on board his/her present command at the time of transfer.

Military couples may not be permanently assigned to the same ship or the same shipboard deployable command. For shore assignments, the couple will not assign to the same reporting senior without the gaining CO’s approval. Unusual circumstances may require a couple being temporarily assigned to the same afloat activity, which is allowable at the CO’s discretion

Pregnancy & Parenting Resources

• Pregnant servicewomen may remain onboard up to their 20th week of pregnancy.
• An extension of up to one year may be granted in order to receive maternity benefits, provided the member’s performance has been satisfactory and first term Sailors have PTS approval.
• No later than 6 months after being returned to full duty by a HCP, the servicewoman is required to take the PFA and conform to acceptable height/weight standards.
• No servicewomen may be assigned overseas or travel overseas after the completion of the 28th week of pregnancy.
• The New Parent Support Home Visitation Program (NPSHVP) is a team of professionals providing supportive and caring services to military families with new babies. Navy families and other military families expecting a child or with children up to three years of age are assessed to determine if they need help managing the demands of a new baby. In the program, new Moms and Dads can be referred to community new baby programs and are eligible to participate in a voluntary home visitation program, free of charge. The New Parent Support Home Visitation Program was developed to assist military families in ways that friends and family would do if you were back home. This program offers expectant parents and parents of newborn and young children the opportunity to learn new skills as parents and to improve existing parenting skills, in the privacy of their own home.

Controversy

Pregnancy

In her 1995 book, Jean Zimmerman reported that there was a perception in the Navy that women sailors use pregnancy to escape or avoid deployed ship duty. In an example cited by Zimmerman, in 1993 as the USS Cape Cod prepared to depart on a deployment cruise, 25 female sailors, out of a crew of 1,500, reported being pregnant shortly before the scheduled departure and were reassigned to shore duty. Although Zimmerman felt that the number of pregnancies was small and should not be regarded as significant, the senior enlisted person on the ship, Command Master Chief Alice Smith rejoined, "Just about every division has been decimated by the number of pregnancies. Now tell me that's not going to hurt a ship." A 1997 study by the Navy Personnel Research and Development Center found that female sailors assigned to ships experienced higher pregnancy and abortion rates than shore-based female sailors.

A Navy policy change in June 2007 extended post-partum tours of duty ashore from 4 months to 12 months. A Virginia Pilot article in October 2007 reported on the Navy's policy decision as a means to improve long term retention of trained personnel. The chief of women's policy for the chief of personnel noted that far more men than women fail to deploy or are sent back from deployment, "because of sports injuries, discipline issues or testing positive for drugs."

In 2009, Andrew Tilghman reported in the Military Times on a Naval Inspector General (IG) report noting that, in the wake of this change, Navy shore commands based in Norfolk reported that 34% of their assigned members were pregnant sailors reassigned from ship duty. Since shore-based assignments for pregnant sailors were extended in 2007, the number of Navy women leaving deploying units to have children rose from 1,770 in June 2006 to 3,125 as of 1 August 2009. Tilghman further reports that Navy Personnel Command is reviewing the report.

Women on Submarines

In July 1994, policy changes were made expanding the number of assignments available to women in the Navy. At this time, repeal of the combat exclusion law gave women the opportunity to serve on surface combatant ships but still excluded assignments for women to serve onboard submarines. Previously there had been concern about bringing women onto submarines because living quarters offered little privacy and weren’t considered suitable for mixed gender habitation.

In October 2009, the Secretary of the Navy announced that he and the Chief of Naval Operations were moving aggressively to change the policy. Reasons included the fact that larger SSGN and SSBN submarines now in the Fleet had more available space and could accommodate female Officers with little or no modification. Also, the availability of qualified female candidates with the desire to serve in this capacity was cited. It was noted that women now represented 15% of the Active Duty Navy and that women today earn about half of all science and engineering bachelor’s degrees. A policy change was deemed to serve the aspirations of women, the mission of the Navy and the strength of its submarine force.

In February 2010, the Secretary of Defense approved the proposed policy and signed letters formally notifying Congress of the intended change. After receiving no objection, the Department of the Navy officially announced on 29 April 2010, that it had authorized women to serve onboard submarines moving forward.

The first group of U.S. female submariners completed nuclear power school and officially reported on board two ballistic and two guided missile submarines in November 2011.

Admirals

The first promotion of a woman in the United States Navy to flag rank occurred in 1972.

	Name	Commission	Position	Community	RDML	RADM	VADM	Retired	Notes
1	TraceyPatricia A. Tracey	1970	Director, Navy Staff, N09B, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations	URL	??	??	19961996	20042004	First woman to earn third star in the US Navy.
2	RondeauAnn E. Rondeau	1974 (OCS)	President, National Defense University	Fleet Support	19991999	20022002	20052005	20122012	Retired.
3	BrownNNancy Elizabeth Brown	1974 (OCS)	Director for C4 Systems (J6)	URL	20002000	20032003	20062006	20092009	Retired.
4	PottengerCarol M. Pottenger	1977 (ROTC)	Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability and Development, Supreme Allied Commander Transformation	Surface Warfare	20032003	20072007	20102010		Currently on active duty.
5	McKeeFran McKee	1950	Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel for Human Resource Management	URL	19761976	19781978		19811981	First woman line officer promoted to flag rank in the United States Navy. Second woman promoted to flag rank in the United States Navy
6	HazardRoberta L. Hazard	1960	Assistant Chief of Naval Personnel, Personnel Readiness and Community Support 1989–1992	URL	1984 1984	1988 1989		1992 1992	First woman to command a Navy training command (NTC San Diego 1982).
7	EvansMarsha J. Evans	1967	Superintendent of the Naval Postgraduate School 1995–1998	Fleet Support	1992 1992	1996 1996		1998 1998	Retired.
8	EngelJoan Marie Engel	1969	18th Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1994–1998	SHCE (Nurse Corps)	19941994	19971997		20002000	18th Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
9	McGannBarbara E. McGann	1970 (OCS)	Provost, Naval War College 2000–2002	URL	19941994	19981998		20022002	Notes.
10	FromanVeronica Froman	1970	Director, Ashore Readiness, Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. 2000–2001	Fleet Support	1995 1995	1999 1999		2001 2001	First woman commander of Navy Region Southwest (aka "Navy Mayor of San Diego), 1997–2000.
11	PotterBonnie Burnham Potter	1975 (OIS)	Fleet Surgeon, U.S. Atlantic Fleet 1999–	Medical Corps	19971997	20002000		20032003	First female physician to become a flag officer in the military.
12	PaigeKathleen Paige	1971	Program Director, Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense 2003–2005	Engineering Duty Officer	1996 1996	2001 2001		2005 2005	Retired.
13	HarmeyerKaren A. Harmeyer	1975	Chief of Staff, Chief of Naval Operations, N093R, Washington, D.C.	SHCE (Nurse Corps)	19971997	20012001		20022002	Retired. 1st female two-star in the Reserves.
14	MartinKathleen L. Martin	1973 (OIS)	Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy/ Vice Chief, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 2002–2005	SHCE (Nurse Corps)	1998 1998	20012001		2005 2005	19th Director of the Navy Nurse Corps from August 1998 to August 2001. First Nurse Corps officer to be assigned to the position of Deputy Surgeon General of the Navy.
15	BrownA Annette E. Brown	1974 (OCS)	Commander, Navy Region Southeast (2002)	Fleet Support	19991999	200220012		2005 2005	Retired.
16	BirdLinda J. Bird	1974 (OCS)	Director, Supply, Ordnance and Logistics Operations Division, N41 2003–2005	Supply Corps	1999 1999	20032002		2005 2005	Retired.
17	MorrisElizabeth M. Morris	1973 (OIS)	Deputy Chief for Reserve Affairs at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery 2005–2006?	SHCE (Nurse Corps)	20002001	20042004		2006 2006	Retired.
18	LescavageNancy J. Lescavage	1972 (OIS)	Senior Health Care Executive Regional Director, TRICARE Regional Office – West	SHCE (Nurse Corps)	20032003	20042004		2009?	Retired.20th Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.
19	CrispDonna L. Crisp	1974 (OCS)	Commander, Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command	URL	20012001	20052005			Currently on active duty.
20	GilbrideAnn D. Gilbride	1978 (OCS)	Director, National Maritime Intelligence Center	Reserve	20032003	20062006		?  ?	Retired.
21	RedpathSharon H. Redpath	1976 (ROTC)	Vice Commander, Navy Expeditionary Combat Command, Commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group	Reserve	20032003	20062006		20092009	Retired
22	HightElizabeth A. Hight	1977 (OCS)	Vice Director, Defense Information Systems Agency	URL	20032003	20062006		? ?	Retired. First woman to Command the JTF-GNO, after serving as its Deputy Commander. First woman Vice Director at DISA.
23	Bruzek-KohlerChristine Bruzek-Kohler	1974	Commander, Navy Medicine West, Naval Medical Center San Diego	Nurse Corps	20042004	20092009		2010 2010	21st Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.
24	HunterChristine S. Hunter	1980	deputy director, TRICARE Management Activity	Medical	20042004	20092009			Currently on active duty.
25	CarpenterWendi B. Carpenter	1977 (AOCS)	Commander, Navy Warfare Development Command, Norfolk	Reserve	20042004	2008 2008		2011 2011	Retired. First female naval aviator promoted to Flag rank.
26	FlahertyKaren Flaherty	1973 (OIS)	Deputy Surgeon General of Navy Medicine	Nurse Corps	20032003	2008 2008		2011	22nd Director of the Navy Nurse Corps.
27	FlandersMoira N. Flanders	1978 (OCS)	Director, Inter-American Defense College	URL	20052005	2007 2007			Currently on active duty.
28	DeRenziNanette M. "Nan" DeRenzi	1984 (ROTC)	Judge Advocate General of the Navy	JAG		2009 2009	2012 2012		Currently on active duty.
29	DussaultKathleen M. Dussault	1979 (OCS)	Director, Supply, Ordnance and Logistics Operations Division (OPNAV N41)	Supply Corps	20062006	20092009			Currently on active duty.
30	HambyJanice M. Hamby	1980 (ROTC)	Vice Director for C4 Systems (J6)	URL, then Information Professional	20062006	20092009		20122012	Retired.
31	HowardMichelle J. Howard	1982 (USNA)	Chief of Staff to the Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J-5, Joint Staff	Surface Warfare	20062006	20102010	2012 nom 2012		Currently on active duty.
32	NiemyerElizabeth S. Niemyer	1981	Director, Navy Nurse Corps	Nurse Corps	20082008	2010 2010			23rd Director of the Navy Nurse Corps
33	WolfePatricia E. Wolfe	1981 (ROTC)	Commander, Navy Expeditionary Logistics Support Group (NAVELSG)	Reserve, Supply Corps	20072007	2010 2010			Currently serving.
34	TysonNora W. Tyson	1979 (OCS)	Vice Director, Joint Staff	Naval Flight Officer	20072007	20112011			First woman to command a carrier strike group.
35	BraunRobin Braun	1980	Chief of Navy Reserve/Commander, Navy Reserve Force	Reserve, Naval Aviator	20072007	20112011	20122012		Currently serving. 1st female commander of the Navy Reserve.
36	CovellCynthia A. Covell	1980 (OCS)	Director, Total Force Requirements Division (OPNAV N12)	Navy Human Resources Officer	20082008	20112011			Currently on active duty.
37	KleinMargaret D. Klein	1981 (USNA)	Chief of Staff, U.S. Cyber Command	Naval Flight Officer	20082008	2011 2011			82nd Commandant of Midshipmen, USNA – first woman.
38	DanielsSandy L. Daniels	1980 (USNA)	Deputy Commander, Joint Functional Component Command for Space	Reserve	20072007	2012 2012			Currently serving.
39	GregoryKatherine L. Gregory	1982 (USNA)	Commander, Naval Facilities Engineering Command Pacific	CEC	20102010	2012 2012			First female CEC admiral.
40	TrainElizabeth L.Train	1983 (OCS)	Director for Intelligence, U.S. Pacific Command	Intelligence	20092009	2012 2012			Currently on active duty.
41	DuerkAlene B. Duerk	1943	Director Navy Nurse Corps 1970–1975	Nurse Corps	19721972			1975 1975	First woman promoted to flag rank in the United States Navy. Director Navy Nurse Corps 1970–1975.
42	ConderMaxine Conder	1951	Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1975–1979	Nurse Corps	1975 1975			1979 1979?	Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
43	Shea-BuckleyFrances Shea-Buckley	1951	14th Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1979–1983	Nurse Corps	1979 1979			1983 1983	14th Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
44	HartingtonPauline Hartington	1953	Commander, Naval Training Center Orlando	URL	1981 1981			1983 1983?	Second woman line officer selected for flag rank.
45	HopperGrace Hopper	1944	Head, Training and Technology Directorate/Special Advisor to the Commander, Naval Data Automation Command	URL?	1983 1983			1986 1986	Co-inventor of COBOL. Arleigh Burke class guided missile destroyer USS Hopper (DDG-70) named for RADM Hopper.
46	NielubowiczMary Joan Nielubowicz	1951	15th Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1983–1987	Nurse Corps	1983 1983			1987 1987	15th Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
47	HallMary F. Hall	1959	16th Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1987–1991	Nurse Corps	1987 1987			1991 1991	Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
48	WilmotLouise C. Wilmot	1964	Commander, Naval Base Philadelphia −1994	URL	1988 1988			1994 1994	First woman to command a naval base.
49	StrattonMariann Stratton	1966	17th Director, Navy Nurse Corps 1991–1994	Nurse Corps	19911991			19941994	17th Director, Navy Nurse Corps.
50	IbachMaryanne T. Gallagher Ibach	1964		Reserve Nurse Corps	1990 1990			1995 1995	First Reserve flag officer for Navy Nurse Corps.
51	LaughtonKatharine L. Laughton	1963	Commander, Naval Space Command, Dahlgren, VA 1995–1997	Fleet Support	1993 1993			1997 1997	Retired.
52	FacklerNancy A. Fackler	1962	Deputy Director of the Navy Nurse Corps for Reserve Affairs	Reserve Nurse Corps	1994 1994			1997 1997	retired.
53	BarnesJacqueline O. (Allison) Barnes	????	Director, On-Site Inspection Directorate 1998–2000	Fleet Support	1996 1996			2000 2000	Retired.
54	FishburneLillian E. Fishburne	1973 (OCS)	Director, Information Transfer Division for the Space, Information Warfare, Command and Control Directorate ?-2001	URL	1998 1998			2001 2001	First African-American woman to achieve flag rank.
55	DrewMarianne B. Drew	1967	Deputy Commander, Navy Personnel Command	Reserve, Fleet Support	1998 1998			2002 2002	Retired.
56	MarianoEleanor Mariano	1977	White House Physician	Medical Corps	20002000			2001 2001	First Filipino-American flag officer.
57	LevitreRosanne M. Levitre	1973 (OCS)	Director of Intelligence, J2, U.S. Joint Forces Command	Intelligence	20002000			2005 2005	First Director, Navy Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR), FORCEnet. First female Intel officer selected for flag rank in the United States Navy.
58	TurnerCarol I. Turner	1977	Senior Health Care Executive, U.S. Navy Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command	Dental Corps	20032003			2008?	retired. First female Chief of the Naval Dental Corps, 2003–2007.
59	LoewerDeborah Loewer	1976 (OCS)	Commander, Mine Warfare Command 2005–2006	Surface Warfare	20032003			20072007	First warfare-qualified woman selected for flag rank in the United States Navy.
60	DulleaCynthia A. Dullea	1980 (OIS)	Deputy Commander, Navy Medicine National Capital Area	Reserve	20072007				Currently serving.
61	YoungMaude Elizabeth Young	1984 (USNA)	Director, Systems Engineering National Reconnaissance Office; Commander, SPAWAR Space Field Activity (SSFA), PEO for Space Systems, USN	URL	20082008				Currently on active duty.
62	Eleanor V. Valentin	1982	Director, Medical Service Corps, Commander, Navy Medicine Support Command, Jacksonville, Florida	MSC	20092009				16th director of the Medical Service Corps (first female director)
63	GrafRobin L. Graf	1981 (OCS)	Deputy Commander, Navy Recruiting Command	URL	20092009				Currently on active duty.
64	WebberDiane E. H. Webber	?	Director for Command Control Systems, J6, Headquarters North American Aerospace Defense Command	URL	20092009				Currently on active duty.
65	PhillipsAnn Claire Phillips	1983 (ROTC)	Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group Two	Surface Warfare	20102010				Currently on active duty.
66	HerbertGretchen S. Herbert	1984 (ROTC)	Assistant Chief of Naval Operations, Next Generation Enterprise Network (NGEN)	URL	20092010				Currently on active duty.
67	BrownPaula C. Brown	1982	Deputy Chief of Staff for Engineering, U.S. Naval Forces Korea	CEC	20102010				Currently on active duty.
68	RykowskiMargaret A. Rykowski	1987	Fleet Surgeon, Third Fleet	NNC	20102010				Currently on active duty.
69	KibbenMargaret G. Kibben	1986 (OIS)	Chaplain of the United States Marine Corps, deputy chief of Navy Chaplains	Chaplain Corps	20102010				18th Chaplain of the USMC, first female chaplain at USNA.
70	WagnerElaine C. Wagner	1984	Senior Health Care Executive	Dental Corps	20102010				Currently on active duty. Chief of the Naval Dental Corps, 2010 – present.
71	TigheJan Tighe	1984 (USNA)	Deputy Director of Operations for U.S. Cyber Command	IW/Crypto	20102010				first female IW flag officer.
72	HerbMartha E. G. Herb	1979 (OCS)	Director, Personnel Readiness and Community Support	Reserve	20102010				currently serving.
73	Coetzee Althea H. Coetzee	1985 (USNA)	executive director, Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Acquisition and Procurement)	Supply Corps	20112011				Currently on active duty.
74	Huegel Valerie K. Huegel	1980 (OCS)	Deputy Commander, Navy Supply Systems Command Global Logistics Support	Supply Corps	20112011				Currently on active duty.
75	AdamsSandra E. Adams	1981 (OCS)	Reserve Deputy Commander, Navy Region Midwest	??	20112011				Currently on active duty.
76	BonoRaquel C. Bono	1979	Command Surgeon, U.S. Pacific Command	Medical Corps	20112011				Currently on active duty.
77	McCormick-BoyleRebecca J. McCormick-Boyle	1981	Chief of Staff, Bureau of Medicine and Surgery	Nurse Corps	20112011				Currently on active duty.
78	AndrewsAnnie B. Andrews	?? (ROTC)	Director, Total Force Requirements Division (OPNAV N12)	Navy Human Resources Officer	20112011				Currently on active duty.
79	JaynesCindy L. Jaynes	1983 (OCS)	Assistant Commander for Logistics and Industrial Operations, Naval Air Systems Command	AMDO	20112011				Currently on active duty.

See also

• United States Navy Nurse Corps
• Women in the military
• United States Navy
• WAVES

Further reading

• Godson, Susan H. (2001). Serving Proudly: A history of Women in the U.S. Navy. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-317-6. 
• Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (1999). Crossed Currents: Navy Women in a Century of Change [Third Edition, Revised and Updated]. Washington, D.C.: Brassey's. ISBN 978-1-57488-193-6. 
• Ebbert, Jean and Marie-Beth Hall (2002). The First, the Few, the Forgotten: Navy and Marine Corps Women in World War I. Annapolis, MD: The Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-55750-203-X. 
• Sterner, Doris M. (1997). In and Out of Harm's Way: A history of the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps. Seattle, WA: Peanut Butter Publishing. ISBN 0-89716-706-6. 
• Hancock, Joy Bright Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired) (1972). Lady in the Navy A Personal Reminiscence. Annapolis, MD: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 0-87021-336-9. 
• Collins, Winifred Quick Captain, U.S. Navy (Retired) with Herbert M. Levine (1997). More Than A Uniform: A Navy Woman in a Navy Man's World. Denton, TX: University of North Texas Press. ISBN 1-57441-022-9. 
• Holme, Jeanne Maj Gen, USAF (Ret) (1972). Women in the Military: An Unfinished Revolution [Revised Edition]. Novato, CA: Presidio Press. ISBN [[Special:BookSources/00891414509|00891414509]]. 
• Zimmerman, Jean (1995). Tailspin: Women at War in the Wake of Tailhook. New York: Doubleday. ISBN 0-385-47789-9. 

Bibliographies

• Women in the Navy, a bibliography compiled in 1998 by Diana Simpson, Bibliographer, Air University Library, Maxwell AFB.
• Women in the U.S. Navy: Bibliography and Sources from the Naval Historical Center.
• 30 YEARS OF WOMEN AT USNA, selected bibliography of resources available in the Naval Academy's Nimitz Library.
• Bibliography on women in the military from the Women in Military Service for America (WIMSA) Memorial

External links

• Office of Women's Policy (N134W) Bureau of Naval Personnel
• Sea Services Leadership Association supporting motivated Sea Service officers since 1978. (Formerly Women Officers Professional Association.)
• Women Redefined Facebook Fan Page
• Women in the Navy Flickr Images
• Navy For Moms Community