Baltimore Fleet Week to highlight women’s excellence in military careers

BALTIMORE – Starting Wednesday, ships will dock around Baltimore for Fleet Week, which honors members of the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard. It will also be an opportunity to showcase the excellence of women in military careers.

“This is really a chance for us to go out there and show the community what our ship can do,” said USS Marinette Commander Janet Broome.

Janet Broome is the commanding officer of the USS Marinette, which will arrive in Baltimore during Fleet Week. Broome is responsible for the proper operation of the ship and its crew.

She told WJZ that she often thinks about how her career field has changed over the years.

“Now our supreme leader in the Navy is a woman,” Broome said. “The Superintendent of the Naval Academy is also a woman. “Women are actually in some pretty high-level leadership positions today, and that’s great because when I was younger, I never had the opportunity to see those leadership positions filled by women.”

Rear Admiral Nancy Lacore is another key person during Fleet Week. She is responsible for planning and implementing many events.

Lacore joined the military in 1990, when many jobs were not open to women.

“In 1993, the Combat Exclusion Act, which allowed women to use combat ships and helicopters, was partially repealed,” Lacore said. “That’s where I ended up. I flew helicopters.”

Women will pilot some of the amazing flyovers you’ll see during Fleet Week, including retired Southwest Airlines captain Sabrina Kipp.

“I’m going to bring in a North American B-25 bomber, a World War II bomber,” Kipp said.

She said she started flying almost 50 years ago and was only one of two women at her flight school.

“I have never believed in gender bias in careers,” Kipp said. “Growing up, I always believed that you should do what you are capable of and that there should be no barriers based on gender.”

That’s the message these women want to make sure other young ladies know as they consider careers in traditionally male-dominated professions.

“The more we can tell a positive story and show positive role models, I think we will be much better off attracting more women to the workforce,” Lacore said.