Sara A. Joyner
Sara Annette Joyner is a United States Navy officer. She is notable for being the first female strike fighter pilot to command a Navy fighter squadron and a carrier air wing.[1] Her promotion to rear admiral (lower half) was authorized by the U.S. Senate on 25 May 2017.[2]
Sara A. Joyner | |
---|---|
Birth name | Sara Annette Applegarth |
Nickname(s) | Clutch |
Allegiance | |
Service/ | |
Years of service | 1989–present |
Rank | |
Commands held |
Early life and education
Sara Annette Applegarth was born on Hoopers Island in Maryland.[3] She is one of four children of Samuel Hubert Applegarth, Jr. (1929–1998) and Sara Jane (McClaran) Applegarth.[4] Her father Cmdr. Hubert Applegarth retired from active duty in the Navy in 1977, having graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1951.[4] The family property in the village of Honga on Upper Hoopers Island was purchased by Sara's great grandfather William Applegarth in 1891.[5]
Sara also attended the United States Naval Academy. She graduated with a B.S. in Oceanography[1] in 1989 and was commissioned as an ensign.[6] Sara then attended flight school and earned her naval aviator wings in July 1991.[1]
Career
Sara Joyner became a fighter pilot in 1996, flying an F/A-18 Hornet with VFA-147.[3] She assumed command of Strike Fighter Squadron 105 from Cmdr. Douglas C. Verissimo on 2 March 2007.[7] She turned over command to Cmdr. Thomas R. Tennant on 9 June 2008.[8]
Sara Joyner later became deputy commander of Carrier Air Wing Three, assuming full command from Capt. Michael S. Wallace on 4 January 2013.[3] The air wing embarked on a deployment aboard USS Harry S. Truman on 22 July 2013.[9] She commanded the air wing until relieved by Capt. George M. Wikoff on 22 December 2013.[9]
In June 2018, Joyner became Director for Manpower and Personnel, J1 for the Joint Chiefs of Staff.[10][11] In August 2019, she assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 2.[12] Joyner was succeeded by Rear Admiral Richard J. Cheeseman at the end of April 2020.[13] Joyner is now Chief of legislative affairs for the US Navy.[14]
Personal
Sara Joyner is married to James Mitchell Joyner IV, her Naval Academy classmate[6] and fellow naval aviator.[15] They have two children.[3][15] Her husband Cmdr. James Joyner retired from active duty in the Navy in 2014.
References
- "Talking with Capt. Sara A. "Clutch" Joyner". Department of the Navy Chief Information Officer. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- "PN111-1 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 25 May 2017. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- Hixenbaugh, Mike (5 January 2013). "First female commander of carrier air wing takes reins". The Virginian-Pilot. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- "Obituaries". The Washington Post. 27 January 1998. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- Hedberg, Jacqueline Simmons (2016). Hoopers Island's Changing Face. Arcadia Publishing. p. 24.
- "PN151 — Navy". U.S. Congress. 1989. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- Comerford, Tim (30 March 2011). "Women change Navy roles through effort, dedication". The Flagship. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- Heimer, Cathy (12 June 2008). "Historic change of command for 'Gunslingers'". The Flagship. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- "CVW-3 Changes Command". U.S. Navy. 22 December 2013. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
- "Flag Officer Assignment". U.S. Department of Defense. 23 January 2018. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
- "Rear Adm. Sara Joyner". Joint Chiefs of Staff. Retrieved 2018-06-27.
- Vazquez, Joseph C. (29 August 2019). "CSG-2 Conducts Change of Command". U.S. Navy. Retrieved 2019-08-30.
- "Carrier Strike Group (CSG) 2 Changes Command". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. 30 April 2020. Retrieved 2020-05-02.
- "Flag Officer Assignments JUNE 2, 2020". defense.gov. US Department of Defense. 2 June 2020. Retrieved 3 June 2020.
Rear Adm. (lower half) Sara A. Joyner is currently serving as chief of legislative affairs, Washington, D.C. Joyner previously served as commander, Carrier Strike Group Two, Norfolk, Virginia.
- Heimer, Cathy (28 January 2011). "Naval aviator's career includes many 'firsts' for women". The Flagship. Retrieved 2017-08-10.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sara A. Joyner. |
- Rear Admiral Sara A. Joyner, U.S. Navy Biography