SUFFOLK, Va. — In a special Women's History Month ceremony, the top three female leaders of Naval Information Forces were honored.
Among them was Vice Admiral Kelly Aeschbach. She's the commander of Naval Information Forces and is in charge of 20,000 personnel.
She told News 3 she remembers when she wasn't even allowed in a combat role. She commissioned in 1990.
"You couldn’t do submarines then which is what my dad did, but they weren’t open to women," said Aeschbach.
Now she looks at her staff- nearly all women - and marvels at the progress.
“I look at my own front office, and my deputy, my force master chief, my judge advocate, my public affairs officer, my medical officer, my executive assistant, all women,” said Aeschbach.
One of those women is deputy commander Liz Nashold. She was active duty Navy for 11 years, and has worked on the civilian side for 22.
"There were no women in leadership positions that I could see back then," Nashold said. “It was uncomfortable being one of a few women, sometimes the only female, in a meeting.”
Nashold said she's inspired by those who have come before her, and those who will come next.
“For any female to be in the navy whether they’re officer or enlisted or civilian, to see women in leadership positions that allows them to aspire to be in those same leadership positions,” said Nashold.
Force Master Chief Laura Nunley was also highlighted during the ceremony on March 24. She told News 3 she enlisted at 19 with a young son; a rarity at that time for a mother her age to join.
“I started out as a young mom on welfare, and I’m standing in front of you today as Naval Information Forces Force Master Chief," said Nunley. "That’s incredible.”
She said the future of women in the Navy or any service continues to propel forward.
"There’s no limits," Nunley said. "There’s no limits now, you can come in and you can be anything you want.”
The three women have the combined naval experience of nearly a century, and they're proof that success is not determined by your gender, but your merit.
