For the first time, a woman is taking over as commander of Navy Region Northwest.
The Kitsap Sun reported that in her new position, Rear Adm. Bette Bolivar, of Honolulu, will oversee bases in Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming and Alaska. She takes over for Rear Adm. Mark Rich, who is heading to the nation’s capital to be commandant of Naval District Washington.
Bolivar last served as chief of staff at Navy Installations Command in Washington, D.C. She was selected for appointment to rear admiral on March 25.
Bolivar excelled as a leader in Navy diving after earning her qualification in 1989. She commanded the salvage ship USS Salvor and served as the director of ammunition offload from USS Cole after the 2000 terrorist attack in Yemen.
She also served as commanding officer of Mobile Diving and Salvage Unit One from 2003 to 2005. In 2006, she deployed to Afghanistan for a year, working to counter radio-controlled improvised explosive devices.
