Amy Bauernschmidt
Amy Bauernschmidt | |
|---|---|
.jpg) | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
Branch |  United States Navy |
Service years | 1994–present |
Rank |  Rear Admiral (lower half) |
| Commands | |
| Awards | |
Amy N. Bauernschmidt is a United States Navy rear admiral, currently serving as Director of Maritime Operations, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
She was the first woman to serve as commanding officer of a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier when she assumed command of USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on 19 August 2021.
Previously, Bauernschmidt had been the first female executive officer of a U.S. aircraft carrier, serving aboard the same vessel.
Early life and education
[edit]Bauernschmidt was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and attended the United States Naval Academy. Six months before she graduated, the U.S. Congress passed legislation allowing women to serve on Navy combatant ships. She graduated in May 1994 with a B.S. degree in ocean engineering. On her first assignment as a Naval Academy midshipman, she chose aviation. After completing flight school, she was designated a naval aviator in 1996. She then learned to fly helicopters and also became a flight instructor.[1]
Bauernschmidt later earned an M.A. degree in national security and strategic studies from the Naval War College.[2][3][4]
Career
[edit]Trained as a helicopter pilot, Bauernschmidt served with the "Wolfpack" of HSL-45 on the destroyer USS John Young and the "Warlords" of HSL-51 on the aircraft carrier USS Kitty Hawk. She later served as executive officer and then commanding officer of the "Spartans" of HSM-70 on the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush. In September 2016, after completing nuclear power school, Bauernschmidt became the executive officer of USS Abraham Lincoln. On 5 August 2019, she assumed command of the amphibious transport dock USS San Diego. On 19 August 2021, Bauernschmidt became the commanding officer of USS Abraham Lincoln.[3][5][6] After she received her master's degree in strategic studies she also served at the U.S. Secretary of State's Office of Global Women's Issues.[1]
On January 3, 2022, USS Abraham Lincoln deployed from Naval Air Station North Island under the command of Bauernschmidt.[7]
In February 2023, Bauernschmidt was nominated for promotion to rear admiral (lower half).[8][9] In December that year, she was assigned as Deputy Commander of the United States Seventh Fleet in Japan.[10] In April 2025, she assumed command of Carrier Strike Group 1.[11] Under her command, the strike group targeted Houthi positions in Yemen during Operation Rough Rider. She relinquished command in October 2025 and reported to the Pacific Fleet in November 2025.[12]
In July 2026, the New York Times reported that Bauernschmidt was one of seven senior Navy officers whose promotions had been blocked by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth. She had previously been chosen for a promotion to rear admiral by a Navy promotion board composed of senior flag officers.[13] A four-star admiral unsuccessfully interceded, vouching for Bauernschmidt's "competence and character" in hopes of saving her nomination.
References
[edit]- 1 2 Brad Lendon; Blake Essig; Emiko Jozuka. "US Navy's first woman aircraft carrier commander: Leadership is hard". CNN. Retrieved 17 May 2022.
- ↑ "Captain Amy N. Bauernschmidt". U.S. Navy. 27 October 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ↑ "First woman to command nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln". ABC 10 News San Diego. Scripps Media, Inc. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ↑ Roza, David (7 December 2020). "A woman will take command of a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier for the first time in US Navy history". Task & Purpose. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ↑ Correll, Diana Stancy (20 August 2021). "This Navy captain is now the first woman commanding a nuclear aircraft carrier". NavyTimes. Retrieved 25 August 2021.
- ↑ Dyer, Andrew (3 January 2022). "In a historic first, aircraft carrier Abraham Lincoln deploys under command of female captain". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved 4 January 2022.
- ↑ "Flag Officer Announcements". U.S. Department of Defense. 17 February 2023. Archived from the original on 18 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ↑ "PN365 — Navy, 118th Congress (2023-2024)". U.S. Congress. 16 February 2023. Retrieved 19 February 2023.
- ↑ "Navy Flag Officer Assignments". news.usni.org. Retrieved 13 August 2024.
- ↑ Jones, Rachael (24 April 2025). "Carrier Strike Group 1 Changes Command at Sea Aboard USS Carl Vinson". Defense Visual Information Distribution Service. Retrieved 25 May 2025.
- ↑ "Carrier Strike Group 1 welcomes new commander". DVIDS. Retrieved 2 August 2026.
- ↑ Jaffe, Greg (14 July 2026). "Opportunities Narrow for Women as Hegseth Blocks More Promotions". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2 August 2026.