S2 Episode3 - The First Forty-Five

What does it take to go from an unhappy 17-year-old escaping a turbulent home life to becoming one of the first 45 women integrated onto a U.S. Navy warship? In this episode, we sit down with retired CWO3 Cryptologic Officer Kelly Soles for a raw, unflinching look at her historic naval career.Kelly takes us inside the intense command climate of the USS Vella Gulf in 1996, the sting of having her hard-earned promotion to Chief Petty Officer questioned by male peers, and why she firmly believes modern DEI policies risk diluting the meritocracy she fought so hard to prove. We also explore the deeply personal decision to walk away from her dream of becoming the first female CWO5 to put family first. Finally, Kelly pulls back the curtain on her current work managing the critical CCTV links for the ongoing, decades-long legal proceedings at Guantanamo Bay for the 9/11 and USS Cole terrorist attacks. It’s a powerful conversation about survival, breaking barriers, leadership, and the slow wheels of American justice.Got a killer story, a wild recommendation, or think you belong in the hot seat for an episode? Don’t hold back—hit us up at [email protected] and let’s make it happen! LETS GOOOO!