Beverly Kelley

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Lt. (j.g.) Beverly Kelley on the bridge of USCGC Cape Newagen, c. 1979 Beverly G. Kelley on the Bridge of USCGC Cape Newagen.jpg
Lt. (j.g.) Beverly Kelley on the bridge of USCGC Cape Newagen, c. 1979

Beverly G. Kelley was the first woman to command a U.S. military vessel. [1] [2]

Contents

Background

Kelley was raised in Miami, Florida and graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. In January 1976 she enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and then attended Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, Virginia from February through June 1976. [3] She earned her master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a master of science degree in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C. [4]

Career

Kelley became the first woman to command an American military vessel of any branch of the service, specifically a Coast Guard cutter, the 95-foot patrol boat USCGC Cape Newagen, on April 12, 1979. [5] [6] [7] In 1996, she was also the first woman to command a medium endurance cutter, USCGC Northland. [8] [3] In 2000, she became commander of a high endurance cutter, USCGC Boutwell, and made history as the first woman ever to do so. [8] She retired on April 22, 2006 at the rank of captain. [4]

Later life

Kelley was appointed to an open seat on the Queen Anne's County Board of Education by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley in 2011. [9] She was elected to the seat in November 2012, [10] re-elected in November 2016 [11] and continued to serve through 2020. [12] Kelley served as president of the board during the 2018-2019 school year. [13] She was not a candidate for re-election in November 2020. [14]

Kelley became a member of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services in March 2013 [15] and continued to serve on the committee through 2016. [16]

Personal

Kelley is married to Kevin M. Tokarski, [9] who is Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift at the United States Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation. [17] The couple have one son. [9]

Honors

Her military decorations during her thirty years of service include: [4]

References

  1. ↑ "She's Beverly, Not Shipwreck, Kelley—and the First Woman Ever to Command a U.S. Man-of-War". PEOPLE.com. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  2. ↑ Iskra, Darlene M. (2010-03-23). Women in the United States Armed Forces: A Guide to the Issues: A Guide to the Issues. ABC-CLIO. ISBN   9780313374968.
  3. 1 2 "The Long Blue Line: Officer Candidate School and female trailblazers in the Coast Guard's officer corps". Compass. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  4. 1 2 3 "RETIREMENT CEREMONY BEVERLY G. KELLEY CAPTAIN, U.S. COAST GUARD - PDF". docplayer.net. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  5. ↑ "Retirement Ceremony, Beverly G. Kelley, Captain, U.S. Coast Guard", U.S. Coast Guard, 22 April 2006, on docplayer.net
  6. ↑ "Celebrating National Women's History Month 2011". www.womensmemorial.org. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  7. ↑ "Defense.gov News Article: Coast Guard Honors Centenarian, Its First Woman Commissioned Officer". archive.defense.gov. Archived from the original on September 23, 2015. Retrieved 2019-05-13.
  8. 1 2 "Always Ready: Women's Crucial Role in the U.S. Coast Guard". Defense Media Network. Retrieved 2019-02-20.
  9. 1 2 3 "New BOE member Kelley sworn in". My Eastern Shore, Maryland. May 25, 2011. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  10. ↑ Baldwin, Dan (November 6, 2012). "Harper, Kelley win seats on school board". My Eastern Shore, Maryland. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  11. ↑ Combs, Hannah (December 22, 2016). "Kelley and Harlow sworn in to QA Board of Education". Bay Times and Record Observer. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  12. ↑ "Board of Education Members". Queen Anne's County Public Schools. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  13. ↑ Combs, Hannah (December 21, 2018). "Kelley elected school board president". The Star Democrat. Easton, Maryland. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  14. ↑ "Queen Anne's County 2020 Presidential General Election Local Candidates List". The Maryland State Board of Elections. October 30, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  15. ↑ "Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services: 2013 Report" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  16. ↑ "Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services: 2016 Report" (PDF). Retrieved 2020-11-23.
  17. ↑ "Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift". U.S. Maritime Administration. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved 2020-11-23.
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