Careers for Women: Navy+

Review by Bill Doughty

Girls and young school-age women can get a glimpse of the benefits and challenges of serving in uniform in “US Navy” by Carla Mooney (ABDO, 2020), part of ABDO’s U.S. Military Careers Series.

In simple and clear prose, Mooney briefly compares the Navy’s early history with life in the Navy today. She then focuses on a few key occupations, including aviation rescue swimmer, cryptologic technician, and nuclear operations technician, among others..

Mooney writes this about women serving aboard submarines:

“For decades, women were not permitted to work on navy submarines. In 2010, the Navy began allowing female officers to work on submarines. Nearly a decade later, in 2017, there were approximately 80 female officers and 50 enlisted women serving in submarines. The Navy expects that number to increase. To accommodate female sailors, the Navy is modifying existing submarines to add extra doors and specific washrooms for women. The Navy is redesigning new submarines to accommodate both men and women sailors.”

Mooney also highlights jobs as sonar technician, explosive ordnance disposal technician, and Navy nurse, explaining the educational requirements and training involved.

“Navy nurses are commissioned officers. They are required to have a bachelor of science degree from an accredited nursing program at a four-year college or university. They must also have a license to practice as a registered nurse in a US state or territory or in Washington, DC. Navy nurses have one year after starting active duty to obtain their nursing license. Navy nurses attend Officer Development School (ODS) in Newport, Rhode Island. This five-week program provides an intense comprehensive introduction to the responsibilities of Navy staff corps officers. Staff corps officers are commissioned officers in careers that also exist outside of the military They work as physicians, lawyers, chaplains, and nurses.”

Rear Adm. Tina Davidson

She quotes Rear Adm. Tina Davidson, former director of the Navy Nurse Corps: “Navy nurses are versatile and care for our warfighters and their families in a multitude of environments, from shipboard, to the field with marines, as flight nurses, to serving in academic positions teaching corpsmen as well as other nurses,” she said. “We also have nurses in staff jobs and executive medicine. Regardless of where we serve, we are leaders at every level and committed to lifelong learning.”

Mooney explains the differences between commissioned officers and enlisted sailors and shows various ranks and insignia. She also gives advice on getting financial assistance or other help in furthering their education. 

Reading level for this book is sixth through twelfth grade. “Some high school students choose to join the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps (NROTC),” she notes.

Is the Navy a rewarding career? It can be.

“A career in the US Navy is not a good fit for everyone. It is very controlled, with service members being expected to follow rules, obey orders, and meet intensive physical fitness standards. Yet for many people, a Navy career can be very rewarding. Navy personnel travel the world, working in many locations on land and at sea. They receive intense training with state-of-the-art equipment that prepares them for Navy careers and future careers in the civilian world. Service members can pursue their interests and choose from many career fields.”

This small book provides an honest and informative overview for both young women and young men thinking of their future careers and possible service in uniform.

Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class Aerial Lucky, Aviation Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Dayna Williams, Lieutenant Junior Grade Sarah Black and Aviation Electrician’s Mate 2nd Class Annie Adams, assigned to the "Ghostriders" of Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, pose with their MH-60S Seahawk aboard the Blue Ridge-class command and control ship USS Mount Whitney (LCC 20) March 17, 2019. (MC3 Jonathan Word)

Other titles in this series for are “US Marine Corps,” “US Coast Guard,” “US Special Operations Forces,” “US Air Force,” and “US Army.”

TOP PHOTO: PHILIPPINE SEA (March 17, 2021) Cpl. Haley Wolf, from Chaska, Minn., Senior Airman Faith Malone, from Newport Beach, Calif., Intelligence Specialist 2nd Class Kyli Sinclair, from Yorba Linda, Calif., Sgt. Kaitlyn Burback, from Vernon, N.Y., and Staff Sgt. Angelica Cruz-Tovar, from Orlando, Fla., all assigned to Enforcement Coordination Cell, embarked aboard U.S. 7th Fleet's flagship the Blue Ridge-class USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19), serve as an integrated team, critical to Blue Ridge’s mission in the area of operations. As the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed fleet, 7th Fleet employs 50-70 ships and submarines across the Western Pacific and Indian oceans. U.S. 7th Fleet routinely operates and interacts with 35 maritime nations while conducting missions to preserve and protect a free and open Indo-Pacific Region. (MC2 Reymundo A. Villegas III)