Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic
Floor Speech
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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I yield myself such time as I may consume.
Madam Speaker, I rise today in support of H.R. 7698, a bill to rename the VA outpatient clinic in Ventura, California, the Captain Rosemary Bryant Mariner Outpatient Clinic.
Captain Mariner was a trailblazer for women in military aviation. She was born in Texas and grew up in San Diego, California. Her mother was a Navy nurse, and her father was a military pilot. She grew up watching planes take off from Naval Air Station Miramar, which inspired her to save up for flying lessons.
In 1972, when she was just 19 years old, she became the first woman to graduate from Purdue University's aeronautical program. She then joined the Navy and was selected as one of the first eight women to enter pilot training. In 1974, she became one of the first six women to earn their naval aviator pilot's wings.
She went on to become one of the first female aviators to fly the A-4 Skyhawk fighter aircraft, the first woman to fly the A-7 Corsair strike aircraft, the first female aviator to be assigned to an aircraft carrier, and the first woman to command an aviation squadron in the Navy.
She commanded a tactical electronic warfare squadron during the first Gulf war. After that, she was one of the first women in the Navy to be promoted to captain. She retired in 1997 after 24 years of military service with over 3,500 flight hours. Her funeral in 2019 was accompanied by the first all-female pilot flyover.
Captain Mariner's contributions to the U.S. military and the Nation were truly remarkable. She set a lasting example for women in the Navy, whose ranks will include, as of Wednesday, my own granddaughter, which I am very proud of, even though I am still having trouble with the Navy over the Marines thing.
Madam Speaker, I am so proud to support this bill, I am grateful to Congresswoman Brownley for sponsoring it, and I reserve the balance of my time.
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Mr. BOST. Madam Speaker, I encourage my colleagues to support this bill, and I yield back the balance of my time.
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