Posted by Pete DeLaunay on Aug 01, 2018
Our annual Seafair fleet week meeting at Bell Harbor featured the music of the Navy Band Northwest and provided insights about today’s all-volunteer military through the experiences of four accomplished military officers, who all happened to be women.  Seattle’s 69th Seafair celebration was also featured, including Miss Seafair knighting President Cindy Runger as Governess of Go-Getters and Do-Gooders.
 
Past President Bill Center (Rear Admiral, US Navy, ret.)  said women now comprise 18% of military officers and have taken their rightful roles in all aspects of military life. He then introduced and facilitated a panel discussion with four distinguished former and current military officers, each of whom had a unique perspective on military life:
 
Whitney Mason, US Marine Corps Lt. Colonel, ret.
Diankha Linear, US Army Captain, ret.
Laura Gallasero, US Navy Lt. Commander, active
Amanda Robillard, US Air Force Captain, active
 
Each officer had a unique reason for enlisting, including wanting to see the world, becoming an astronaut, being inspired by a sister who attended the Air Force Academy, and one who was short on money and joined to go to school.  All agreed that military life was different than they imagined.  “I thought it would be limiting,” one officer said, “the breadth of opportunities was what surprised me the most.”
 
Time in service varied among the panelists, yet their commitment to service was unanimous, as was their agreement on how men have become allies encouraging them to seek higher rank.  Lt. Commander Gallassero will retire soon and plans to take on a second career in the private sector.  She described the SkillBridge program where soon-to-be retired military members can take an internship with a Fortune 500 company.  The internship is paid by the military and often leads to a job. 
 
Captain Robillard said she never found a door that she couldn’t walk through. “I am lucky and humbled to have had men push me to higher levels,” she said.  “The military unit is like a family with a lot of camaraderie.”
 
The Seafair brass were on hand for the day’s short program as CEO Richard Anderson and VP of Business Operations Adam Cook described how some 75 Seafair events bring diverse communities together, making memories and having fun!  Seafair gets no government funding but relies on sponsorship partners such as Boeing, Albert Lee Appliance, Safeway, Capital One, Miller-Coors and many others to organize events – and pays the City of Seattle some $500,000 for event permits.  During Sunday’s air show and hydroplane races, several new attractions have been added such as a kids mini-hydro one-mile course, milk carton derby winning entries, and wakeboarding – all broadcast this year on KING5 TV in Seattle and statewide.  Seafair’s mantra is relevance, experience, and value. 
 
UW student and Miss Seafair, Zoraida Valdovinos, came to the podium to read a special Seafair proclamation and perform the royal knighting of President Cindy as Governess of Go-Getters and Do-Gooders.
 
President Cindy invited fellow Rotarian and Consulate General of Japan, Giro Yamada, to the podium where he described the worst flooding in his country in three decades. “Basic supplies have been restored quickly thanks to the help of many volunteers,” he said, “ including 500 active military personnel.’
 
President Cindy opened the meeting by inviting Jimmy Collins (Major General, US Army, ret.) to lead the National Anthem accompanied by the Navy Band Northwest, followed by the day’s inspiration by Nancy Cahill who spoke of the importance of building trust – and thanking those with whom we have entrusted our country for their service.
 
President Cindy ended the meeting with a quote from John Quincy Adams, the sixth President of the United States, "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader."
 
Past President Bill Center introduced attending guests from the military:
 
Rear Admiral David Throop, Commander, Thirteenth Coast Guard District
Rear Admiral Don Gabrielson, Commander, Carrier Strike Group 11
Rear Admiral Blake Converse, Commander, Submarine Group 9
Rear Admiral Scott Gray, Commander, Navy Region Northwest
Captain Steve Jorgensen, Deputy Commander, Canadian Maritime Forces Pacific
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