PANAMA CITY, Fla. –
U.S. Navy history is full of amazing stories of trailblazing women who have played an integral role in national security. The women at Naval Surface Warfare Center Panama City Division (NSWC PCD) are also leaving a legacy of greatness.
For more than 17 years Carmelita Martin has worked at NSWC PCD supporting and leading warfare acquisitions and development for engineering projects across the acquisition lifecycle on five different Organic Airborne Mine Countermeasures systems.
Martin who has a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering, Cum Laude, from Tuskegee University, as well as an Master’s of Business Administration from Wayne State University is the head of Assault Breaching Systems Branch (Code A16). Her team is tasked with managing the execution of the Joint Direct Attack Munitions Assault Breaching Systems project development and the Coastal Battlefield Reconnaissance and Analysis system project development.
Martin has received a number of awards over the years to include Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve’s Patriotic Employer, NSWC PCD Award for Outstanding Program Success, Collaboration Excellence and two Naval Sea Systems Command Excellence Awards.
In addition to ensuring the command continues to be the undisputed technical expert in the littoral battlespace Martin ensures we are continuing to champion diversity by serving as an NSWC PCD change agent for Leadership in a Diverse Environment.
Prior to transitioning to federal service, Martin worked as a mechanical engineer and program management analyst at Ford Motor Company.
Martin’s advice to the next generation of female scientists and engineers is, “don’t self-eliminate. Summon the courage to pursue opportunities that you’re interested in and qualified for. Don’t let fear of being different or “the first” hold you back from trying new things and applying for new opportunities.”