The History

On 28 June 1976, the first women joined the Corps of Cadets as members of the Class of 1980 at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, changing the service forever. Since 1976, 744 women have graduated from the Coast Guard Academy.

Cadets, faculty, staff, and alumni embark on a year-long commemoration of leadership and service that kicked off on Reporting Day 2006 as we welcomed the Class of 2010 on July 3rd 2006.

30 Year Commemoration of Women at the Academy

Recognizing the progressive spirit that voluntarily opened the U.S. Coast Guard Academy to women, the 30 Year Commemoration celebrates the contributions of women leaders in the Coast Guard. The Commemoration acknowledges that achieving excellence and equity - today - requires learning from the past to improve the present and future.

Get Involved!
The 30 Year Commemoration is really about shaping the future. It’s interactive, it’s about learning. Therefore, the participation of men and women alumni of all year groups is a top priority.

Artifact Project. In conjunction with events commemorating the 30th anniversary of women at the Coast Guard Academy, the Coast Guard Museum is seeking artifacts that illustrate the experiences, contributions, and accomplishments of women in the Coast Guard. Some artifacts may be displayed during the year-long commemoration.

Written History Project. The Coast Guard Academy will make available, through online publication, the speeches and presentations given at the Conference on Women. In addition, the Academy is looking for letters home, reflective prose and poetry, and articles. The submissions may have been previously published or newly written. Submissions should document the experience of women as cadets and officers. These contributions may be published electronically and/or in book form. Find out more about contributing.

Oral History Project. The Oral History Project will capture the personal histories of men and women involved in integrating the Corps of Cadets. It will also capture the personal experiences of women at the Academy and in the Coast Guard from 1976 through today. The first opportunity to contribute your oral history will be at the Women’s Conference in New London, CT on 25-26 August 2006. Oral histories will be collected through July 2007. Notify the Committee Chair of your interest.

Chat Central. Coast Guard men and women serve worldwide, making it difficult to build a physical community. Luckily, today’s technology allows us to build a virtual community. With sufficient interest, the Academy will sponsor online chat sessions and a lessons learned area for cadets and recent graduates. Contact the Chat Coordinator to express your interest.

American Association of University Women (AAUW). The Academy is exploring formation of its own branch of the AAUW, an organization nearly as old as the Academy itself. AAUW’s muission is to promote equity for women and girls, lifelong education, and positive societal change. Learn more about potential membership in this organization.