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Beverly Kelley

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Lt. (j.g.) Beverly Kelley on the bridge of USCGC Cape Newagen

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

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 was the first woman to command a Coast Guard cutter, a 95-foot patrol boat USCGC Cape Newagen in April 1979.[5][6] In 1996, she was also the first woman to command a medium endurance cutter, USCGC Northland[3][7] In 2000, she became commander of the high endurance cutter, USCGC Boutwell, and made history as the first woman ever to do so.[7] 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.[8] She was elected to the seat in November 2012,[9] re-elected in November 2016[10] and continued to serve through 2020.[11] Kelley served as president of the board during the 2018-2019 school year.[12] She was not a candidate for re-election in November 2020.[13]

Kelley became a member of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services in March 2013[14] and continued to serve on the committee through 2016.[15]

Personal[]

Kelley is married to Kevin M. Tokarski,[8] who is Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift at the United States Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation.[16] The couple have one son.[8]

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" (in en). https://people.com/archive/shes-beverly-not-shipwreck-kelley-and-the-first-woman-ever-to-command-a-u-s-man-of-war-vol-11-no-17/. 
  2. ↑ Iskra, Darlene M. (2010-03-23) (in en). Women in the United States Armed Forces: A Guide to the Issues: A Guide to the Issues. ABC-CLIO. ISBN 9780313374968. https://books.google.com/books?id=wgOrCQAAQBAJ&q=Beverly+Kelley+coast+guard&pg=PR9. 
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "The Long Blue Line: Officer Candidate School and female trailblazers in the Coast Guard's officer corps" (in en-US). http://coastguard.dodlive.mil/2018/03/the-long-blue-line-officer-candidate-school-and-female-trailblazers-in-the-coast-guards-officer-corps/. 
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "RETIREMENT CEREMONY BEVERLY G. KELLEY CAPTAIN, U.S. COAST GUARD - PDF". https://docplayer.net/55294569-Retirement-ceremony-beverly-g-kelley-captain-u-s-coast-guard.html. 
  5. ↑ "Celebrating National Women's History Month 2011". https://www.womensmemorial.org/whm11thumbnailsketches. 
  6. ↑ "Defense.gov News Article: Coast Guard Honors Centenarian, Its First Woman Commissioned Officer". https://archive.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=26996. 
  7. ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Always Ready: Women's Crucial Role in the U.S. Coast Guard" (in en-US). https://www.defensemedianetwork.com/stories/always-ready-womens-crucial-role-in-the-u-s-coast-guard/. 
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 "New BOE member Kelley sworn in". May 25, 2011. https://www.myeasternshoremd.com/news/queen_annes_county/new-boe-member-kelley-sworn-in/article_108ac682-068a-5f35-928c-4db629c7db44.html. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  9. ↑ Baldwin, Dan (November 6, 2012). "Harper, Kelley win seats on school board". https://www.myeasternshoremd.com/news/queen_annes_county/harper-kelley-win-seats-on-school-board/article_f85d35bc-288d-11e2-a6f1-0019bb2963f4.html. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  10. ↑ Combs, Hannah (December 22, 2016). "Kelley and Harlow sworn in to QA Board of Education". https://www.myeasternshoremd.com/qa/community/schools/kelley-and-harlow-sworn-in-to-qa-board-of-education/article_7db4c3cc-41f3-5d2e-a940-e30169f09bc1.html. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  11. ↑ "Board of Education Members". https://www.qacps.org/domain/18. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  12. ↑ Combs, Hannah (December 21, 2018). "Kelley elected school board president". Easton, Maryland. https://www.stardem.com/news/local_news/kelley-elected-school-board-president/article_f55e7912-0f8a-5533-945c-493df2a52a50.html. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  13. ↑ "Queen Anne's County 2020 Presidential General Election Local Candidates List". October 30, 2020. https://elections.maryland.gov/elections/2020/general_candidates/gen_cand_lists_2020_4__by_county_18.html. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  14. ↑ "Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services: 2013 Report". https://dacowits.defense.gov/Portals/48/Documents/Reports/2013/Annual%20Report/2013_DACOWITS_Report_FINAL.pdf. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  15. ↑ "Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services: 2016 Report". https://dacowits.defense.gov/Portals/48/Documents/Reports/2016/Annual%20Report/2016%20DACOWITS%20Report_Final.pdf. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
  16. ↑ "Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift". https://www.maritime.dot.gov/about-us/office-administrator/associate-administrator-strategic-sealift. Retrieved 2020-11-23. 
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