Question & Answer Session with Grace... (paraphrased)
What year did you start your career?
November of 1980
What year did you graduate the Officer Canidate School?
In 1981, I graduated from OCS, 2nd highest student in my class.
How many women were in your class?
There was about 50 women in my class, the rest were men.
What was your first assignment?
Only 2 of the 50 women were assigned to ships. I graduated 2nd in my class and was assigned to the USS Piedmont (AD 17).
What did the other women do?
They received assignments on land, all different types.
You must have been proud to be 1 of 2 women to make it on a ship, was it difficult being stationed with all men?
It was a proud moment, I knew I had to go on the ship and start off being focussed and do my job. That's what I did. There were times when I was, I guess you can say harrassed, but I didn't pay it any attention and in time that all subsided
Did you feel that it was more difficult to pursue this postion than your male counterpart and do you think you were treated equally?
At times yes, women were still new, but ultimately it was about doing your job and being the best at it. That was the culture on the ship, do your job and do it well and that's what I did.
When did you command your first combatant ship?
I commanded my first ship in 1998. I was one of 5 women selected to command a combatant ship in the entire Navy. No other woman had done that before.
What was the name of your ship?
I was the Commanding Officer of USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44)
Wow that is a great accomplishment, I guess you can say you paved the way for women today?
I think yes in many ways I was a part of the change, I had a good career in the Navy.
To close I wonder what advice you would give young women entering the military today?
Go to college, do you job, work hard and don't be expected to be treated any better or any worse than any of your peers, male or female.
November of 1980
What year did you graduate the Officer Canidate School?
In 1981, I graduated from OCS, 2nd highest student in my class.
How many women were in your class?
There was about 50 women in my class, the rest were men.
What was your first assignment?
Only 2 of the 50 women were assigned to ships. I graduated 2nd in my class and was assigned to the USS Piedmont (AD 17).
What did the other women do?
They received assignments on land, all different types.
You must have been proud to be 1 of 2 women to make it on a ship, was it difficult being stationed with all men?
It was a proud moment, I knew I had to go on the ship and start off being focussed and do my job. That's what I did. There were times when I was, I guess you can say harrassed, but I didn't pay it any attention and in time that all subsided
Did you feel that it was more difficult to pursue this postion than your male counterpart and do you think you were treated equally?
At times yes, women were still new, but ultimately it was about doing your job and being the best at it. That was the culture on the ship, do your job and do it well and that's what I did.
When did you command your first combatant ship?
I commanded my first ship in 1998. I was one of 5 women selected to command a combatant ship in the entire Navy. No other woman had done that before.
What was the name of your ship?
I was the Commanding Officer of USS Gunston Hall (LSD 44)
Wow that is a great accomplishment, I guess you can say you paved the way for women today?
I think yes in many ways I was a part of the change, I had a good career in the Navy.
To close I wonder what advice you would give young women entering the military today?
Go to college, do you job, work hard and don't be expected to be treated any better or any worse than any of your peers, male or female.