Capt. Dianna Wolfson becomes first woman to command a U.S. Navy shipyard: 'Glass ceiling shattered'

Hooyah! Capt. Dianna Wolfson was named the commander of the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, making her the first woman to to do so at any location in the United States in naval history.

Capt. Wolfson will be leading more than 14,000 employees at the Bremerton, Wash. shipyard, which has never had a female commander since it was founded in 1891. The shipyard is the Pacific Northwest’s largest naval shore facility and one of Washington state’s largest industrial installations.

“I am truly excited to be joining such a high performing team,” Wolfson told Salute, the Puget Sound newsletter.

Capt. Wolfson has been an advocate for women in the armed forces throughout her career. In 2001, she received the Capt. Joy Bright Hancock Leadership Award at the Annual National Women Officers Professional Association (now known as the Sea Services Leadership Association) for her leadership and community involvement.

Wolfson will be replacing Capt. Howard Markle, who congratulated Wolfson on her post. “The Navy could not have made a better choice,” he said.

The editorial board of the local paper had a more direct response to the news: “Well, what took so long?”

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