It is interesting to realize that just a few decades ago, there were no women serving in the United States Navy. Those days, however, are all part of history, and America has since moved on. Men and women who would like to serve their country through the Navy are now able to do so, and Navy practices regarding this continue to evolve.
On Thursday, Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead became the news-bearer of something that is considered as a milestone in the Navy. According to a feature on the Navy Times, Adm. Roughead announced the recipients of Sailor of the Year – and all of four of them are women.
Named Pacific Fleet Sailor of the Year is Operations Specialist 1st Class (SW) Samira McBride, who is assigned to the destroyer Lassen. Fleet Forces Sailor of the Year was given to Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW/AW) Ingrid J. Cortez, who serves at dock landing ship Gunston Hall.
HM1 Shalanda Brewer of Navy Expeditionary Medical Unit 10 was named Reserve Sailor of the Year, while CNO Shore Sailor of the Year was given to Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class (SW) Cassandra Foote of the Center for Information Dominance Learning Site in Pensacola, Florida.
The four women sailors will be honored in Washington D.C. in July and will receive a meritorious promotion to chief petty officer. Adm. Roughead did not fail to mention at the 23rd annual Women’s Leadership Symposium that the honor received by these women is yet another addition to the milestones that women in the fleet were able to achieve.
