The Expeditor The Navy’s History of Making WAVES Yokosuka 3MI WAVES Story 4-7 Table of Contents Sailor Spotlight 20-23 Leadership: CO CAPT Buzz Donnelly XO CAPT Paul Lanzilotta CMC CMDCM Jason Haka PAO LCDR David Levy APAO ENS Rachel McMarr Media LCPO MCC Xander Gamble Media LPO MC1 Woody Paschall Production LPO MC1 Greg Johnson Media Department: The Expeditor MC1 James Kimber MC2 Kenneth Abbate 8-15 MC2 Nathan Hawkins MC2 Nathan Burke MC2 Dom Jamal McNeill MC3 James Ku MC3 James Lee MC3 Ryan McFarlane MC3 Eduardo Otero Santos MC3 Charles J. Scudella III MC3 MacAdam Weissman MC3 Jamaal Liddell MCSN Randy Adams MCSN Tyler John MCSN Erwin Miciano MCSN Frank Speciale Wanderlust: Yokosuka 24-31 3MI 16-19 2 | The Seventy-Sixer March 2017 March 2017| 3 WAVES turn the tides of military gender segregation Story by MC1 tim comerford, naval history and heritage command public affairs It was July 30, 1942 - 75 years ago - that the U.S. government realized the need for women to take their place beside their male counterparts in the Navy. It is difficult to imagine what life was like in America in 1942: Walking was still the primary means of transportation, only a little more than half of residences had any indoor plumbing, male life expectancy was 6o years old and females 68 years old, and the rationing of every resource, including food, metal and energy sources, was the norm. President Franklin Roosevelt signed Public Law 689, July 30, 1942, creating the Women’s Naval Reserve commonly known as Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES). “With the war imminent, members of Congress and the services started to prepare for what was likely to happen,” said Regina T. Akers (PhD), a historian for Naval History and Heritage Command (NHHC) whose doctoral thesis was on the impact of the WAVES. “It had become evident to the War Department (who preceded the Department of Defense) that they would not have enough people to do all the jobs that might be required.” Though the Army was the first to accept women into their ranks, Akers saw this as an advantage. The Navy was able to learn from the Army’s experiences. “The secretary of the Navy put his foot down and said, ‘Look, we are not going to do what the Army did. We are not going to have these women as an given the charge of the female Sailors and had integrated training, which was auxiliary. They are going to have access and unlike World War I where they were unheard of before then,” Akers said. to information and we want to be able to relegated to nurses or yeomen (a clerical She explained that the changes were due use them in any way we can,” explained job), the women could now choose a to Joy Bright Hancock, a former WWI Akers. Mildred McAfee, resident of wider variety of jobs. Yeoman F (female yeoman) who worked Wellesley College, was sworn in as a “There wasn’t a piece of mail processed in the Bureau of Aeronautics after WWI. Naval Reserve Lieutenant Commander that wasn’t touched by WAVES, few Hancock was commissioned during becoming the first female officer and pilots were trained without interacting World War II by McAfee and worked her was selected to become assistant chief of with WAVES. About one third of the way up to becoming the WAVES director naval personnel for women. McAfee was women served in the aviation community in 1946 and a captain. 4 | The Seventy-Sixer March 2017 March 2017| 5 According to Akers, the WAVES had Despite the misgivings of male Sailors against having women in the military and other gender non-traditional Navy jobs and that of Congress, the WAVES opponents in the War Department and such as in intelligence, as pilots, dentists impressed many. the Navy Department were considering and lawyers. Male Sailors started to resent “One of the best compliments, McAfee having a permanent place for these the impact the females hard work had on often remarked, was the repeated demand women. Why? Because of the incredible their jobs. for the WAVES. In some ratings they contributions these women made,” Akers “WAVES did so well in certain ratings couldn’t keep enough of them,” Akers said. they could come and do the job of two or said. “They volunteered to serve knowing By the end of World War II, the WAVES three males,” Akers said. they would be in service for the duration had become a large part of the Navy, of the war and six months after. They numbering more than 8,000 officers and didn’t know what the war’s duration was 80,000 enlisted Sailors and leaving an going to be. But they took the oath and indelible mark on the history of the U.S. they served with great distinction.” Navy. Currently, the Navy employs more And that distinction won over many of than 52,000 active duty women in a total their former detractors. force of 321,000. “Even before the war was over, some of those congressmen that were so Commander Transformation. From the days of having only one captain in the Navy, to now having 35 female active duty and reserve admirals and 143 master chiefs across the diverse Women’s Leadership Symposium, and communities, Akers believes the WAVES they are still going strong and setting the would be impressed with the progress of example,” Vice Adm. Carol Pottenger, today’s female Sailors. the Navy’s senior-most female Sailor, “This is an unprecedented era,” Akers said. “Our Navy today would not be explained. “I don’t think the WAVES The courage and sacrifices of the the same without their sacrifices and could imagine what the women in the WAVES contributed to the U.S. victory in commitment to service - they make me Navy are doing today - the wide variety 1945. proud to put on my uniform every day.” of duties and the types of positions that “I have the greatest admiration and Pottenger, a commissioned naval they are in. I think if those women that respect for these first-ever pioneers. officer since 1977, is currently the served during WWII could see and fully I have met some of these remarkable Deputy Chief of Staff for Capability and understand the female Sailors of today, women, most recently at our March 2012 Development, at North American Treaty they would be proud and amazed.” Sea Service Leadership Association, Joint Organization (NATO) Supreme Allied 6 | The Seventy-Sixer March 2017 March 2017| 7 The Expeditor travis keeps ronald reagan running Story and photos by mcc xander gamble Several Air Force C-17 Globemasters rest on the air field at Travis Air Force Base 8 | The Seventy-Sixer March 2017 March 2017| 9 Nestled in the rolling green hills of Northern ...about half way between San Delarosa, the West Coast expeditor for want some job experience,” said Delarosa. Francisco and Sacramento, is Travis Air USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), handles “So I said, ‘Okay, why not?’ and I joined Force Base. The golden sun rays dance all materials coming for the only forward- for four years. And before I knew it, I was across the flight line, warming up the Air deployed aircraft carrier. reenlisting.” And now he is at 19 years, Force cargo planes lined up across the “If you say expeditor, you’re just getting ready to retire. California... stretch of cement and asphalt. following up. Making phone calls. Seeing The forward-deployed experience is On the first floor of the square building all this is received in time when the ship familiar to Delarosa, with Ronald Reagan attached to the warehouse on the south wants it. That’s only part of the job,” being the fourth overseas ship he’s side of the base is a small group of Sailors, said Delarosa. “I’d rather think of myself served on. In Japan, he served on Oliver the few that can be found on the base at as beach [detachment] personnel and Hazzard Perry class guided missile frigate any given time. And one Marine. The expediting is only part of the job.” USS Vandegrift (FFG 48) before it hull- only one on the base. These five maritime Born in Manila, Republic of the swapped with his next Japan-based ship, service members work together with the Philippines, Delarosa moved to Los Arleigh Burke class AEGIS destroyer USS 60th Aerial Port Squadron (APS) to send Angeles in his 20s. After he arrived, he Mustin (DDG 89), in 2006. He also served all materials the Navy needs shipped by air looked into joining the Navy. on board submarine tender USS Frank from the United States to the 7th Fleet. “I had friends who already joined. They Cable (AS 40), forward deployed out of Hills and farmland outside of Travis Air Force Base Logistics Specialist 1st Class Geronimo said it was a good place to start if you Guam. 10 | The Seventy-Sixer March 2017 March 2017| 11 "It’s a good thing I have a little knowledge of everything, because I’ve been in supply for a while now... ...So I know the financial side – it there are blue signs hanging overhead with misplaced in other areas – other bays in the pallet. Other material, I have to do some happened to all this material?’ I have to job at Travis. helps,” said Delarosa. “I handled cargo three-letter designators representing where warehouse. And sometimes at night, the Air more research.” On average, he processes explain.” Even if it was the vendor that “He’s like the Airman for the top boss here for the Seabees, I’ve handled cargo for a those materials are going.