Westside Story Newspaper – Online The News of The Empire – Sharing the Quest for Excellence
By Darwin Lam, Officer Training Command Newport Public Affairs
NEWPORT, R.I. – The first woman warrant officer to complete Officer Candidate School (OCS) at Officer Training Command, Newport (OTCN) was selected to be part of the Navy’s first Aerial Vehicle Operators (AVO) with designator 737X, Feb. 18.
Warrant Officer 1 Josia Pagler, a native Rancho Cucamonga, California, enlisted in the Navy in 2019 and previously served as an Aviation Electrician’s Mate 3rd Class with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 70 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.
“I was originally interested in being an aviation electrician’s mate for the MQ-4C Triton unmanned aircraft system (UAS) during A-school,” said Pagler. “Lt. Daniel Robinson, my division officer and assistant maintenance officer at HSM 70, really pushed me to apply for the AVO program when he knew I already had a college degree.”
She earned her bachelor’s degree in Health Care Administration from California State University Long Beach in 2016.
In December 2020, the Navy announced a new warrant officer specialty designator whose job will be to operate carrier-based MQ-25 Stingray unmanned aerial vehicles, which are expected to start appearing in fleet carrier air wings in 2024, according to a Navy news release.
In order for warrant officers to operate the MQ-25 Stingray, the first carrier based unmanned aerial vehicle in the Navy, the Secretary of the Navy approved the establishment of the AVO warrant officer designator in NAVADMIN 315/20.
“It’s awesome any time a woman can blaze a new trail in any new program or community,” said Lt. Kyrie Slade, MH-60S Seahawk pilot and the OCS lead class officer. “It proves that we can be as resilient, smart, and tough as our men counterparts.”
Slade said she was the only female during her primary selection class out of 22 students.
“My last squadron was 30 pilots and we had anywhere from two-six female pilots onboard during my three years there,” said Slade.
The gravity of being the first woman warrant officer to complete OCS is still solidifying for Pagler.
“I honestly haven’t wrapped my mind around being the first of anything, however, I want to tell others to not hold yourselves back for going for something you want. Don’t be intimidated in a community where the majority are men,” emphasized Pagler.
Headquartered in Newport, Rhode Island, OTCN oversees Officer Candidate School, Officer Development School and the Limited Duty Officer/Chief Warrant Officer Academy.
OTCN morally, mentally and physically develops future leaders of character and competence – imbuing them with the highest ideals of honor, courage and commitment in order to serve as professional naval officers worthy of special trust and confidence.
For more information about OTCN, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/NSTC/OTCN.
