Capt. Joan Rhodes Hankey was one of only nine women unrestricted line officers sent to Vietnam during the war. In 1969, she was also the only woman to graduate from the Navy Postgraduate School with a master’s degree in computer systems management. Following NPS, she was assigned to Personnel Accounting Machine Installation, U.S. Pacific Fleet in San Diego, where she was originally assigned as department head for data conversion. Within a year, the transfer of the commanding officer triggered her succession to executive commander. This transition presented a problem. According to Navy Regulations, Article 1383, women were not permitted to “succeed to command as commanding officer except at those activities the primary function of which is the administration of women personnel.” BUPERS allowed the transition, and Hankey became the first woman executive officer of a non-administration Navy command. In August 1980, Cmdr. Hankey was assigned as staff to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) at the Pentagon, as the assistant for automation.

Last Updated: 31 March 2023