Celebrating Women’s History

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SHUTTLE USS Enterprise (CVN 65) - Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Celebrating Women’s History

Cmdr. Effie R. Petrie, Enterprise senior intelligence officer, center, conducts a cake-cutting ceremony with Rear Adm. Terry B. Kraft, Enterprise Strike Group Commander, right, and Capt. Dee L. Mewbourne, Enterprise commanding officer during a Women’s History Month celebration aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

Photo by MCSN Gregory A. Pickett II

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

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Enterprise News

Enterprise Sailors celebrate Women’s History Month

By MCSN Gregory A. Pickett II USS Enterprise Public Affairs

USS ENTERPRISE, At sea - Sailors aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65) celebrated the accomplishments of women throughout society and the U.S. Navy during a Women’s History Month celebration March 27.

In 1978, Women’s History Month began as the observance of “Women’s History Week” in the United States and was later changed to a month-long celebration in 1987.

Hosted by Enterprise’s Multicultural Heritage Committee, the event featured essays, poetry readings, songs and guest speakers.

Big ‘E’ Sailors highlighted both the great accomplishments made by women throughout history and the immense strides female Sailors have taken toward equality in the military, Nobel prizewinning Marie Curie’s contributions to atomic theory to Rear Adm. Grace Hopper’s (Ret.) ground breaking role in Naval computer science.

“Today was a neat event on board Enterprise,” said Enterprise Strike Group Commander Rear Adm. Terry B. Kraft, who spoke at the event. “Women

Photo by MCSN Gregory A. Pickett II

From left to right, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AW/SW) Tabitha Ocasio, dressed-up as NASA astronaut and engineer Ellen Ochoa, Personnel Specialist 3rd Class (SW/AW) Cynthia Cordero, dressed as breast cancer activist Nancy Brinker, and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Yleana Bangs, dressed as physicist and chemist Marie Curie.

The three Sailors each read informative “Who am I?” essays describing the lives and contributions to society made by the women they portrayed during the Women’s History Month celebration aboard the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CVN 65).

have now integrated across the spectrum of what we do in our Navy. It was appropriate to honor and recognize that today.”

In today’s Navy, women can now serve in 95 percent of available positions, ranging from all ships, afloat staffs, naval construction force units and aviation squadrons.

The first women in the history of the Navy to be assigned to submarines are also scheduled to report to their new subsurface duty stations in

2011.

There are more than 630 women on board Enterprise, in a variety of rates and ranks, including the strike fighter squadrons of Carrier Air Wing One. “It was only in the midnineties that female pilots were first allowed to join the jet community,” said Lt. j.g. Jocelyn Liberg, a weapons systems officer and F/A-18F Super Hornet naval flight officer assigned to the “Checkmates” of Strike

Fighter Squadron (VFA) 211. “I am proud to be a part of this squadron and to continue the legacy of those first female fighters.”

There are 53,000 active duty women and more than 10,000 female reservists serving in the Navy today. Comprising 16.3 percent of the total U.S. naval force, female Sailors each make indispensable contributions to missions and operations world wide every day.

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Sailors of the Day

Logistics Specialist Seaman

Vanessa Muquercia - Union City, New Jersey

LSSN Muquercia, a material control clerk assigned to AIMD’s IM-1 division, joined the Navy one-and-a-half years ago to better herself and further her education to help reach her goals. To Muquercia, the most rewarding aspect of her job is helping out her shipmates and learning new things about her rate each day. Muquercia aspires to earn a degree in criminal justice and start a family of her own in the future. Muquercia enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

Photos by MCSN Jared M. King

SUDOKU!

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

Aviation Machinist’s Mate Airman

Joshua Espree - Port Arthur, Texas

ADAN Espree, a combat line division plane captain assigned to the “Red Rippers” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 11, joined the Navy one year ago “to support our country and to make sure that my family sleeps soundly at night knowing they’re safe.” To Espree, the most rewarding aspect of his job is “the gratification that comes with the safe launch and recovery of my strike fighter aircraft and crew.” Espree aspires to retire from the Navy as an officer and enjoys fixing his car and raising his two young sons.

Strike Group 12 Sailor of the Week Operations Specialist 2nd Class (SW/AW)

Akilah T. Johnson - Brooklyn, New York

OS2 (SW/AW) Johnson, an N3 work center supervisor with Strike Group 12, joined the Navy five years ago to travel and finish her education. To Johnson, the most rewarding aspect of her job is being able to work with different strike group warfare commanders and learning how all components of her job work together.

Johnson is working hard to receive a bachelor’s degree in legal studies and plans to put in a package for Officer Candidate School in the future. During her free time, Johnson enjoys reading, shopping and sleeping.