FISC San Diego celebrates Women's Equality Day
9/2/2010
by Ship's Serviceman Seaman Brittany Barr,
Fleet and Industrial Supply Center San Diego Public Affairs
SAN DIEGO (NNS) -- Fleet and Industrial Supply Center San Diego celebrated Women's Equality Day at Naval Base San Diego Aug. 26.

The event, held to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the American woman's right to vote, included a panel of speakers sharing stories and experiences of accomplished women in the local area.

Volunteer speakers included Capt. Ellen Roberts, lead contracting executive for Commander, Fleet and Industrial Supply Centers; Dr. Sue Gonda, local historian and chair of the Department of History at Grossmont Community College; and Master Chief Navy Counselor (SW/AW) Laura Paquian, a career counselor assigned to Commander, Naval Surface Forces.

Along with an overview of historically significant women from the local area, Gonda provided several posters and visual aids to help communicate the influential roles of women throughout U.S. history.

Roberts shared examples of leaders who influenced her decision to join the Navy. Among those she credits with shaping her path to a senior officer rank is current Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead, who Roberts says acted as a positive mentor to the young officer throughout her second assignment in the Navy.

Putting the evolving roles of Navy women into perspective, Paquian described how the service has changed favorably for women since she entered active duty in 1982.

"When I first came in the Navy, we were mostly in administrative and supply rates, and we were only able to go to [submarine] tenders," said Paquian. "Now, you see women in virtually every rate in the Navy."

Currently, 95 percent of Navy billets are open to women, and women are permanently assigned to all ships, afloat staffs, naval construction force units and aviation squadrons.

Seeing women operate nuclear power plants or serving as air traffic controllers on aircraft carrier flight decks are major advancements in opportunities available to women, Paquian said.

"We have gone from being support personnel to being major players in every department on every ship," said Paquian.

At the most senior levels, women fill 33 Navy flag officer billets and there are more than 50 female command master chiefs in today's Navy.

In all, more than 53,000 women serve on active duty in the Navy with an additional 10,500 in the Navy Reserve.