Captain Janet Days - Black History Month Feature [Image 6 of 7]

UNITED STATES

02.13.2023

Photo by Petty Officer 2nd Class Rebekah Watkins 

Chief of Naval Personnel

A graphic celebrating Captain Janet Days for Black History Month (U.S. Navy Graphic by Mass Communications Specialist 2nd Class Rebekah Watkins).

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As we continue to celebrate #BlackHistoryMonth, we recognize Captain Janet Days.

Days recently made history when she assumed the duties as Naval Station Norfolk's 51st commanding officer – becoming the first African-American woman to command the world’s largest naval base in its 106-year history.

“I wandered down the halls of (the) headquarters where my office resides and took note of the majestic pictures and leadership boards displaying the previous commanding officers of Naval Station Norfolk ... As my eyes moved from name plate to name plate, it was painfully obvious that in 31 years from the day I entered the Navy, still not one person of color was displayed. And finally today, that changes,” Days said, Feb. 3, 2023.

Days, a Chicago-native, graduated from Old Dominion University in 1999 with a bachelor of science in business, summa cum laude. She also holds a master of business administration from the Naval Postgraduate School and is a graduate of the Joint and Combined Warfighting School at Joint Forces Staff College.

Her sea assignments include tours aboard the USS Simon Lake; USS Mahan and USS Forrest Sherman as engineer officer. Additionally, Days completed two deployments, one to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility to conduct theater security cooperation and a subsequent deployment to the U.S. Southern Command area of responsibility to conduct counter-narcotics operations.
Days went on to serve as the Destroyer Squadron 28 material officer and staff director embarked aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, where she completed two deployments in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. Days also served as the executive officer and commanding officer of USS McFaul.

A deployment took Days to Kabul, Afghanistan as the Joint Staff, J7 liaison officer to the International Security Assistance Force headquarters.
Following a tour as the executive officer of Surface Warfare Schools Command in Newport, Rhode Island, Days was appointed Naval Station Norfolk’s executive officer in 2021. She is also the first Black woman to hold that position.

To read more of Capt. Days’ story:
https://www.pilotonline.com/military/vp-nw-navy-norfolk-20230203-dd6mmifak5hhxmeb5y7fgvby3u-story.html

To learn more about how MyNavy HR’s N17 Office works to ensure all Sailors have the opportunity to succeed in today’s Navy, visit:
https://www.mynavyhr.navy.mil/Support-Services/Culture-Resilience/

• Date Taken: 02.13.2023
• Date Posted: 02.13.2023 15:05
• Photo ID: 7631360
• VIRIN: 230213-N-UJ486-296
• Resolution: 2560x2560
• Size: 2.52 MB
• Location: US