Beverly G. Kelley was the first woman to command a U.S. military vessel.[1][2]
Kelley was raised in Miami, Florida and graduated from the University of Miami with a bachelor's degree in mathematics. In January 1976 she enlisted in the United States Coast Guard and then attended Officer Candidate School in Yorktown, Virginia from February through June 1976.[3] She earned her master of arts degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island and a master of science degree in national resource management from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in Washington, D.C.[4]
Kelley became the first woman to command an American military vessel of any branch of the service, specifically a Coast Guard cutter, the 95-foot patrol boat USCGC Cape Newagen, on April 12, 1979.[5][6][7] In 1996, she was also the first woman to command a medium endurance cutter, USCGC Northland.[8][3] In 2000, she became commander of a high endurance cutter, USCGC Boutwell, and made history as the first woman ever to do so.[8] She retired on April 22, 2006 at the rank of captain.[4]
Kelley was appointed to an open seat on the Queen Anne's County Board of Education by Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley in 2011.[9] She was elected to the seat in November 2012,[10] re-elected in November 2016[11] and continued to serve through 2020.[12] Kelley served as president of the board during the 2018-2019 school year.[13] She was not a candidate for re-election in November 2020.[14]
Kelley became a member of the Defense Department Advisory Committee on Women in the Services in March 2013[15] and continued to serve on the committee through 2016.[16]
Kelley is married to Kevin M. Tokarski,[9] who is Associate Administrator for Strategic Sealift at the United States Maritime Administration of the Department of Transportation.[17] The couple have one son.[9]
Her military decorations during her thirty years of service include: [4]