On board the guided-missile destroyer USS Mason (DDG 87), Rear Adm. Lisa Franchetti visited to speak to the officers and crew about toughness and overcoming professional challenges throughout her career and the progression of women's roles in the military throughout history.

With more than 32 years of service in the Navy, Franchetti has experienced several historic changes which broadened the scope of opportunities for women in the military. She notes the repeal of the Combat Exclusion Law in 1993 as the biggest change made during her career. For the Navy, the repeal enabled females to serve in combatant ships and fly combatant aircraft.

She asserts that the effects of the repeal were twofold in that, "It gave women more opportunities to go to sea, and over time it also normalized women being at sea," said Franchetti. By giving females the ability to join the mainstream efforts of the Navy, they were then afforded the same opportunities to fight and defend their country in the same ways as their male counterparts.

"It was a terrific opportunity for the destroyermen of Mason to hear from a distinguished leader of the Surface Warfare community," said Cmdr. Stephen Aldridge, Mason's commanding officer. "Admiral Franchetti shared some of the adversity she's faced and challenges she's overcome in her career, stories that really resonated with my officers and crew."

Over the last 24 years, women have been integrated into every area of the Navy, serve in almost all ratings and in all paygrades, E-1 to O-10. Franchetti attributes her continued success as a female leader in the military to great shipmates and her ability to compartmentalize and remain largely "oblivious" to any adversity she faces. "I try not to dwell on challenges or fall into the trap of believing that something is too hard to overcome. I just focus on being professionally competent, being a good teammate, and moving on with the mission."

Mason, part of Naval Surface Force, US Atlantic Fleet (SURFLANT), is currently at its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk after returning from a combat deployment in support of maritime security operations and theater security cooperation efforts in the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of operation.

For more news from Mason, visit www.navy.mil/local/ddg87 or join the conversation on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MASONDDG87/.

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For more news from Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, visit http://www.navy.mil/.