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CAPT Nevius: A TPS Trailblazer
Image: Then MIDN Nevius with MIDN Carol Pottenger at Purdue University NROTC.
By LT Katie "SID" Kidder, USN
Whoever said you shouldn’t meet your hero has clearly never met CAPT Colleen Nevius, USNR (Ret.). As the first female Navy Test Pilot, CAPT Nevius has broken barriers and paved the way for thousands of aviators like me. At this year’s NHA Symposium in San Diego, I had the pleasure of meeting CAPT Nevius along with other trailblazing aviators, whose service, sacrifice, and perseverance have enabled women, like me, this career opportunity. The celebration of 50 Years of Women Flying in Naval Aviation has ignited my desire to learn about the legends who came before me, and I am grateful that the Navy has taken the time and attention to celebrate this major milestone. Meeting these trailblazing women at NHA was like meeting my heroes, and I was thrilled with the opportunity to interview CAPT Nevius.
Second Class of Women in ROTC
Growing up the daughter of a Navy Captain and one of six children, when her father brought home the instruction that allowed women to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1972, Colleen immediately imagined herself in uniform. At the time, the Naval Academy did not accept women and only four universities accepted women for ROTC. As part of the second class of ROTC women, Colleen graduated from Purdue University in 1977. She noted that leadership and her classmates were supportive of her pursuits, emphasizing that “when leadership is ok with it, everyone else falls in line.” As one of many leadership lessons CAPT Nevius shared with me throughout the interview, I found this particular quote to speak truth in ways that can be both beneficial and potentially destructive, particularly in terms of command culture. Leadership Lesson Number One: Subordinates will mostly follow and fall in line, whether that is for better or for worse. Fortunately, CAPT Nevius had several excellent leaders and mentors throughout her Navy career, though she was not exempt from the challenges that come with changing the status quo.
Growing up the daughter of a Navy Captain and one of six children, when her father brought home the instruction that allowed women to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1972, Colleen immediately imagined herself in uniform. At the time, the Naval Academy did not accept women and only four universities accepted women for ROTC. As part of the second class of ROTC women, Colleen graduated from Purdue University in 1977. She noted that leadership and her classmates were supportive of her pursuits, emphasizing that “when leadership is ok with it, everyone else falls in line.” As one of many leadership lessons CAPT Nevius shared with me throughout the interview, I found this particular quote to speak truth in ways that can be both beneficial and potentially destructive, particularly in terms of command culture. Leadership Lesson Number One: Subordinates will mostly follow and fall in line, whether that is for better or for worse. Fortunately, CAPT Nevius had several excellent leaders and mentors throughout her Navy career, though she was not exempt from the challenges that come with changing the status quo.
With CAPT Joellen Drag Oslund’s challenge to the law that banned women from serving or simply flying near Navy vessels, the District Court’s 1978 finding paved the way for CAPT Nevius’ first assignment at Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 6 at NAS Norfolk. After earning her wings of gold in 1979, she had hoped for an East Coast squadron with the belief that the West Coast is too far from D.C. and Admirals would have less oversight and more latitude to keep women from opportunities. Even with her assignment in Norfolk, she was pulled from her first VERTREP detachment onboard USS Kalamazoo (AOR-6) because “the Navy was not ready to have women on ships in the Mediterranean Sea.” So instead, Nevius was assigned duty to fly and transport the fleet admiral. She noted that “while it was a good deal, it wasn’t the REAL deal,” which would have been flying VERTREP in the Med with the rest of her squadron.
Mediterranean Sea or Bust!
Nevius did eventually get the opportunity to VERTREP in the Med when USS Kalamazoo was tasked to provide logistical support following an incident with an F-14 and an Iranian aircraft. To celebrate her opportunity, the mess staff made her a cake with the words “Congrats, Med at last!” While onboard and nearing the end of her tour, the skipper of Kalamazoo, an A-7 driver, invited the pilots to dinner. The skipper asked each pilot what they intended to do next. When she responded that she had no idea, he asked if she had ever considered Test Pilot School. One simple question opened a world of opportunity and the chance to make history. Nevius had not considered it a realistic possibility, but the fact that he asked made her “realize it wasn’t a stupid idea.” Leadership Lesson Number Two: Ask those you lead about potential opportunities, regardless of your perception of their interests or if they fit the status quo. This goes for wardroom social functions too. No woman had been through TPS, so the suggestion to Colleen was significantly outside the norm.
Test Pilot School
Prior to arriving at TPS, Nevius had strong concerns about attending. “They’re setting me up to fail to prove that women can’t do it,” she thought, and explained that this was a common feeling for women of her generation. While much of the pressure she experienced was internal, she occasionally faced blatant instances of external negativity, like when the outgoing CO told her “she wouldn’t graduate because her academic background wasn’t strong enough.” Despite these remarks and the fact that other classmates had weaker academic backgrounds, Nevius excelled in the busy, fast-paced
course graduating as the first female pilot TPS Graduate in 1983. She recalled how much effort and teamwork went into every project, joking that her schedule consisted of “8 hours of academics, 8 hours of flying, and 8 hours of report writing per day!” In addition to great leadership and instruction, she noted that “everyone contributed their strengths - we were too busy to mess with each other.” Despite the busy schedule, Nevius noted that her leadership always made time for the team to take a break together. Leadership Lesson Number Three: Always value the sanity of those you lead and realize when it is time for a break.
During our interview, CAPT Nevius raved about all the aircraft she flew at TPS. When asked about her favorite aircraft, she said, “Every aircraft is my favorite if it’s doing the right thing! CH-46 was great for VERTREP, Cobra great for shooting, T-2 for fixed wing cross country.” In total, Nevius flew 25-30 different aircraft, including an airship! She loved to take jet pilots flying in the 46 and described the CH-53E as a Cadillac. While at the Rotary Wing Test Directorate, Attack Assault Branch, Nevius served as the project pilot for several projects including a Safety, Reliability & Maintainability (SR&M) Upgrade for the CH-46 and HEFS (Helicopter Emergency Flotation), from which she earned the nickname "bag lady." After checking out in the brand new CH-53E, she was tasked to evaluate its ability to fly in icing conditions, “by flying in Duluth, Minnesota behind a Chinook with a spray device.” I could go on and on about the amazing stories she shared from her time at TPS, but that was not the end of her Navy career.
Following TPS, Nevius kept flying the CH-53E, and helped stand up Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HC) 2’s Vertical Onboard Delivery (VOD) Squadron. After transitioning to the reserves in 1988, CAPT Nevius took assignments at NAS Belle Chasse, LA and served as Anti-Submarine Warfare Operations Center (ASWOC) XO and then Officer in Charge (OIC) of a C-12 Detachment. She then became a Blue and Gold Officer for the Naval Academy, in efforts to boost diversity. Following her retirement from the Navy in 2003, CAPT Nevius became a middle school math teacher.
CAPT Nevius’ accomplishments, leadership, and service have inspired generations of women and men alike. But she did not get there alone, and she credits the help of her classmates, mentors, and leadership for her success. To wrap up our interview, I asked if she had any words of advice for future generations of women. She responded with Leadership Lesson Number Four: The value of good leadership, networking and mentorship, whether formal or informal, and the importance of finding invested mentors for yourself and to be that mentor for those who follow is essential. As discussed throughout the interview and this article, good leadership includes, but is not limited to, setting the standard, providing opportunities regardless of perception, and caring for your people. CAPT Colleen Nevius lives and embodies these principles, and enables thousands of women to do the same.
Growing up the daughter of a Navy Captain and one of six children, when her father brought home the instruction that allowed women to join the Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) in 1972, Colleen immediately imagined herself in uniform. At the time, the Naval Academy did not accept women and only four universities accepted women for ROTC. As part of the second class of ROTC women, Colleen graduated from Purdue University in 1977. She noted that leadership and her classmates were supportive of her pursuits, emphasizing that “when leadership is ok with it, everyone else falls in line.” As one of many leadership lessons CAPT Nevius shared with me throughout the interview, I found this particular quote to speak truth in ways that can be both beneficial and potentially destructive, particularly in terms of command culture. Leadership Lesson Number One: Subordinates will mostly follow and fall in line, whether that is for better or for worse. Fortunately, CAPT Nevius had several excellent leaders and mentors throughout her Navy career, though she was not exempt from the challenges that come with changing the status quo.
