WID -

August 2003

Chesapeake Bay Chapter
With the formation of its newest unit—the Capital Chapter, headed by Merritt Allen—Women In Defense now has five chapters nationwide. Over the next year, this space will highlight each of those chapters and its members.

We begin, this month, with the Chesapeake Bay Chapter, located in the Patuxent River area of Southern Maryland. In just one year, that chapter’s membership has increased to more than 70 members from Lexington Park, Indian Head Naval Surface Warfare Center, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Naval Air Systems Command. Corporate representation includes Booz Allen Hamilton, ManTech Systems Engineering Corporation, and ARINC Engineering Services.

Established in 1985, WID is an organization for individuals whose careers are related to national security and the defense industry. Affiliated with the National Defense Industrial Association, WID promotes the professional development of its membership. It supports NDIA’s efforts on behalf of the security of the United States and the health of the defense industry.
Through the Horizons Foundation, WID annually presents scholarships to graduating high school seniors seeking careers in national security. This year, the Chesapeake Bay Chapter will award $1,500 in such scholarships.

“Women In Defense offers opportunities to diversify and broaden one’s horizons,” Walter noted. Those efforts seem to be paying off. “Women have made progress in the defense field,” Vice Adm. Joseph Dyer, commander of the Naval Air Systems Command, told a luncheon hosted jointly by the Chesapeake Chapter and The Patuxent Partnership. “Thirty years ago, there was but one woman in NavAir’s senior executive ranks out of 50 positions. Today there are nine women.”

WID membership also includes a number of women who own and operate their own small business. These companies provide a range of services, from research to manufacturing products such as ammunition.

One of WID’s primary goals is networking, creating forums where women and men from different occupational areas, business sectors, government, and industry can get together and discuss issues pertinent to national security and homeland defense. The growth of chapters is enabling the network of members to focus on issues unique to their locality.

On May 21, the Chesapeake Chapter held its annual dinner and installed its 2004 officers. This new set of officers will find that starting the chapter was easy, compared to the challenge of sustaining the chapter and providing services to its membership.

“WID National faces these same challenges,” said Jan Menker, the new president of the national board. WID has doubled its membership over the last year, she said. It needs a solid plan that provides the infrastructure to sustain over 600 members and assist them in their careers, personal growth, and professional opportunities.

A key element of this strategy will be an effort to stratify the membership and distinguish government, corporate sectors, and small business owners. This will permit a cross sectional analysis and enable the national board to build an appropriate infrastructure and operational capacity. It represents a daunting challenge that the board is working to meet.

—by Janice M. Menker, president of Women In Defense

2004 Chesapeake Bay Chapter officers

President: Jen Narkevicius, ARINC
President Elect: Jackie Lancaster, ManTech
Vice President: Rose Benjes, Naval Air Systems Command
Secretary: Valerie Schlickbernd, Booz Allen Hamilton
Treasurer: Gina Coelho, Ecosystems Management & Associates Inc

Board of Directors

Patricia Armstrong, Naval Air Systems Command
Claire Ketcham, Naval Air Systems Command
Pam O’Dell, Naval Air Systems Command
Julie Randall, Veridian
Dawn Rich, American Electronics Inc.
Jane Walter, Booz Allen Hamilton

Top of page

Archives