A chief petty officer has become the first woman to earn the Navy‘s “silver dolphins,” signaling an enlisted sailor qualified to serve aboard a submarine.
Chief culinary specialist Dominique Saavedra will deploy aboard the nuclear-powered guided-missile submarine Michigan in coming months, the first sub to deploy with a crew including enlisted female sailors.
According to an announcement from Submarine Group 9, out of Puget Sound, Washington, Saavedra received her pin at a ceremony Tuesday, marking a major milestone for female sailors.
“I couldn’t be more proud to wear the ‘dolphins,’ ” Saavedra said in a statement. “To have earned the respect of my fellow submariners is more rewarding than expected. I am honored to serve as a qualified member in such a prestigious community.”
The Michigan is undergoing a maintenance period at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard that will wrap up this summer. A spokesman for Submarine Group 9, Lt. Cmdr. Michael Smith, said a specific timeframe for deployment has not been made clear.
Read more at Military.com
Image courtesy of Kenneth G. Takada
Already have an account? Sign In
Two ways to continue to read this article.
Subscribe
$1.99
every 4 weeks
- Unlimited access to all articles
- Support independent journalism
- Ad-free reading experience
Subscribe Now
Recurring Monthly. Cancel Anytime.