The White Falcon - 30.03.1990, Side 2

Women's History Month
Women excel in
Story and photo by J02 Scott Johnson
The month of March was chosen by President George Bush as the
time to recognize women’s achievements in history and the lasting
contributions they have made to our society through the family, as
volunteers and as leaders.
■ The Navy takes pride in the women who serve and strive to better
themselves personally and professionally.
Today, some 60,000 women serve in 79 of 93 enlisted ratings and in
all but two officer communities, thus making up almost 10 percent of
the total naval force.
Navy women serve proudly as aviators, surface warfare officers and
commanding officers ashore. Increasing numbers of enlisted women
serve at sea in technical ratings and in positions of leadership up to and
including command master chief. There are also more than 102,000
civilian women serving the Navy in positions of increasing responsi-
bility, including Assistant Secretary of the Navy.
There have been nine Navy women, including five nurses, who have
become flag officers and a tenth was recently selected.
In addition to those currently serving as commanding officers
ashore, the first woman has been screened for command at sea and will
become the skipper of her ship in early 1992. Also, the first female
commanding officer of an aviation squadron will assume command
this June.
Since their induction in the Navy as yeomanettes during World War
II, the roles of women in the Navy have increasingly expanded, most
of which has occurred in the last 15 to 20 years.
“I’ve seen a lot of changes for women in the Navy,” Senior Chief
Navy careers
Senior Chief Petty Officer VaidaA. Silvia, Personnel Officer and Com-
mand Senior Chief of the Personnel Support Detachment, Keflavik
assists Petty Officer 3rd Class Donald E. Buie. Silvia, the senior
enlisted female on the NATO Base, speaks on women in the Navy.
Petty Officer Vaida A. Silvia said. “When I entered the Navy in 197.
there were only 12 rates open to women. Now, there’s almost 80 ri
open to women. That shows that progress is being made.”
“Women’s History” continued on page 11
I
Chief of Naval Operations speaks on voting
Editor’s Note: The following is a message on “Voting —A Right
and a Privilege" from the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Carlisle A.
H. Trost.
The right to elect national, state and local leaders is a precious one.
It didn’t just happen. It was earned by courageous men and women
willing to fight and die to establish and maintain the freedoms we enjoy.
Your service in today’s Navy is dedicated to defending the ideals which
set our nation apart and make it a model of personal freedoms. Your
right to vote, like all other rights, is worthless if not exercised. It is the
responsibility of all personnel to strengthen our form of government by
voting for the candidates of their choice.
Military personnel, the ones who sacrifice the most to maintain our
freedoms, often have the most difficult task when trying to vote. Many
are not stationed near enough to their permanent homes of record to
permit registration and voting in person, so an absentee ballot must be
used.
The Navy, in conjunction with the Department of Defense Federal
Voting Assistance office, has done much to make absentee voting easy
for you and your family members. The materials to request an absentee
ballot have been distributed to each command, and each of you should
take the time to fill out the federal post card application and mail it to
your representative state to register and request an absentee ballot for
the primary and general elections. If you request an absentee ballot and
transfer to another duty station, you are responsible for providing a
change of address to the state election officials. Voting assistance
officers are assigned to assist you and your eligible family members
with the absentee voting procedure. For questions that can’t be
answered locally, call the Navy Voter Hotline in CONUS, autovon
224-3248/49 or commercial (202) 694-3248/49. The hotline is located
at Navy Military Personnel Command, Washington, D.C. and is open
Monday through Friday from 7:30 ajn. until 3:30 p.m. eastern time.
Every eligible Navy voter is strongly encouraged to exercise this
precious freedom we so often take for granted. Y our investment in time
is minimal. The dividends you will receive are well worth the effort.
The White Falcon is an authorized, government-funded weekly publi-
cation of the Iceland Defense Force Public Affairs Office for members
of the Defense Force. Contrails of The White Falcon are not necessarily
this publication shall be made available without regard to race, color,
religion, sex, age, marital status, physical handicap, or any other non-
merit factor. The White Falcon is located in building936, tel. ext.4612
or 4552 and printed by the NAS Keflavik Print Plant. Deadline for news
and information is close of business Thursday.
Commander, Iceland Defense Force........~.RADM Thomas F. Hall
Public Affairs Officer..— --------—.„.LCDR Scott E. Wilson
HtpntyPAO...««.«......«—.M.«.M.....M.«».™«."Fndtbor Kr» Eydal
Assistant PAO______ mHHt..........HU....-«.H.-.-.-..M....JOC Dave Evans
Editorial Staff
. JO I JodeDe Blankenship
Editor
Reporter____
Reporter.
Photographer.

*************** *****■***************’********■ ***********■<
J02 Scott Johnson
............... J02 Jay Gaona
.PH2 Bob S winland
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