Kathlene Contres
Encyclopedia
Captain
Kathlene Contres, (born July 13, 1955) is a former American
Naval officer who was the Navy
’s highest ranking female Hispanic Line Officer
on active duty. She was the Commandant of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute
(DEOMI), the first Hispanic woman and the thirteenth Commandant to lead the institute since it was established in 1971. Contres retired from the United States Nay on June 4, 2010, after 30 years of service. Contres also completed two terms as the president of the Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO).
where she received her primary and secondary education. Her grandfather Jesus Contreras, was a Mexican
national who immigrated to the United States as a teenager. After migrating, he worked on the railroads, coal mines, and a paper mill. He eventually settled in York, Pennsylvania
and shortened his name to Jess Contres. She was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Contres who had six children, two daughters and four sons. Contres, at a young age, decided that she wanted to become a teacher. Upon her graduation from Ebensburg's Bishop Carroll High School in 1973, she enrolled in Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and in 1977 she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education with an emphasis in Sports Medicine. Contres returned to her high school alma mater as a substitute teacher. She was teaching high school during the day and coaching the girl's basketball
team during the evenings, as well as Athletic Training during other sports seasons. On one occasion she visited a friend at a United States Marine Corps
base and was impressed with the institution's discipline. In 1980, she spoke to a Navy recruiter and became aware of the educational and travel opportunities which the Navy offered. Contres decided to enlist for four years of military service.
, where she underwent four months of officer training. Her training involved leadership and managerial courses as well as physical training. In February 1981, Contres was commissioned an Ensign
and assigned to the Naval Audiovisual Center in Washington, D.C.
In 1983, Contres was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. During her Navy career she has held various assignments, among them the following:
In 1984, she was assigned to Naval Magazine in Guam, as the Quality Assurance and Safety Officer. She was responsible for both weapon and personnel safety. In 1985, she reported to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Hawaii
as the Fleet Retention Officer. As Fleet Retention Officer she tracked and reported retention trends for all Navy in the Pacific Fleet region. That same year she was promoted to Lieutenant
.
In 1986, Contres was reassigned to the Fleet Manpower Programming Office. There she was responsible for programming billets for all shore activities in the Pacific Fleet claimancy. In 1989, Captain Contres reported to Recruit Training Command in San Diego, California
where she served in various billets including Recruit Division Officer and Director of Apprenticeship Training Schools and in 1991 she was promoted to Lieutenant Commander
. From 1992 to 1994, she was the Officer in Charge of Personnel Support Detachment, at the Naval Station Long Beach. During her service there, she led her group in earning a record number of customer service and personnel accountability awards. Contres then enrolled at San Diego State University
and in 1995 earned her Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership. In 1994, Contres was assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Training Directorate, in The Pentagon
, leading the Shore Training Assessments Branch in providing the Navy's training needs analysis for preparation of the Navy Training Budget.
From 1997 to 2000, Contres, who was promoted to Commander
in 1996, became the Commanding Officer of the Navy Recruiting District in Buffalo, New York
overseeing Navy recruiting in New York
and western Connecticut
. Because of her recruiting successes she was selected for a follow-on tour at Navy Recruiting Headquarters in Millington, Tennessee
, where she served as the Director of the Diversity Recruiting Programs and was responsible for reversing a declining trend in minority officer accessions and enlisted minority accessions to the highest attainment in four years.
In 2000, Contres was named Director, Service and Support Division (Pers-67)at the Navy Personnel Command, where they ensured consistent, comprehensive support for Navy personnel and their families. Among the programs she was responsible for were: Substance and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, Exceptional Family Member Program, Navy Voting Assistance Program, Suicide Prevention, Retiree Activities, Field Support Programs, and Equal Opportunity Programs. Contres holds subspecialties in Manpower, Personnel and Training, as well as Education and Training Management. In 2002, Contres was promoted to Captain, becoming the highest ranking female Hispanic Line Officer on active duty in the Navy. The term line officer (or "officer of the line") is used in the United States Navy
, Coast Guard and Marine Corps to describe a military officer who is trained to command a warship, ground combat unit or combat aviation unit.
(DEOMI). Contres, became the first Hispanic woman and the thirteenth Commandant to lead the Institute since it was established. She oversees a joint-service school supporting all Department of Defense
and U.S. Coast Guard equal opportunity and equal employment opportunity (EO/ EEO) program and research requirements.
She was responsible for maintaining the $24 million compound of the Institute and training more than 2,500 students annually from military bases around the world. Under Contres’ leadership the Institute had a successful re-accreditation overseen by the Council on Occupational Education, a re-write of all curriculum using the Instructional System Design process and the roll-out of a new DEOMI on-line survey utilized by the Military Services to assess the organizational climate of their units.
On June 4, 2010 Contres retired from the United States Navy. She was honored for her service during a change of command and retirement ceremony presided by Rear Admiral Joseph R. Castillo, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, and held at DEOMI in the Major General Lucius Theus Auditorium. Captain Contres was succeeded by Mr. Ronald M. Joe.
(ANSO), an organization that fosters the advancement and recognition of Hispanic officers in the uniformed naval services. Her achievements as president include the creation of the group’s first-ever strategic plan; revamping the membership program in ways that tripled annual memberships and doubled the life memberships; more than tripling the attendance at the annual Professional Development and Training Symposium; developing a Speakers Bureau; and quadrupling the number of local chapters.
s) she always stresses the possibilities for advancement and self-improvement that the Navy offers. She has been quoted as saying:
In 2007, Contres, who currently resides in Melbourne
, Florida, was the recipient of the HENAAC Santiago Rodriguez Diversity Award. HENAAC (Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference), is a national non-profit educational organization promoting careers in science, technology, engineering and math, has been honoring and documenting the contributions of Hispanic Americans since 1989. The winners were selected by an independent group of representatives from industry, government, military and academia.
She is a member, serving on two sub-committees, of the congressionally mandated Military Leadership and Diversity Commission. Since 2000, she has been a member of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Civilian Human Resources) Advisory Council on Hispanic Employment.
Badges
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
Kathlene Contres, (born July 13, 1955) is a former American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Naval officer who was the Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
’s highest ranking female Hispanic Line Officer
Line officer
In the United States armed forces, the term line officer or officer of the line refers to an officer who is trained for command — that is, to be the commanding officer of a warship, ground combat unit, combat aviation unit, or combat support unit....
on active duty. She was the Commandant of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute
Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute
The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute is a U.S. Department of Defense joint services school located at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, offering both resident and off-site courses in areas including equal opportunity, intercultural communication, and religious, racial, gender, and...
(DEOMI), the first Hispanic woman and the thirteenth Commandant to lead the institute since it was established in 1971. Contres retired from the United States Nay on June 4, 2010, after 30 years of service. Contres also completed two terms as the president of the Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO).
Early years
Contres grew up in Spangler, PennsylvaniaSpangler, Pennsylvania
Spangler, Pennsylvania was a town, since merged, and former borough located in the northwest corner of Cambria County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is nestled in the valley of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River between hills of the Appalachian Mountains of the Eastern United States. The...
where she received her primary and secondary education. Her grandfather Jesus Contreras, was a Mexican
Mexican people
Mexican people refers to all persons from Mexico, a multiethnic country in North America, and/or who identify with the Mexican cultural and/or national identity....
national who immigrated to the United States as a teenager. After migrating, he worked on the railroads, coal mines, and a paper mill. He eventually settled in York, Pennsylvania
York, Pennsylvania
York, known as the White Rose City , is a city located in York County, Pennsylvania, United States which is in the South Central region of the state. The population within the city limits was 43,718 at the 2010 census, which was a 7.0% increase from the 2000 count of 40,862...
and shortened his name to Jess Contres. She was born to Mr. and Mrs. John Contres who had six children, two daughters and four sons. Contres, at a young age, decided that she wanted to become a teacher. Upon her graduation from Ebensburg's Bishop Carroll High School in 1973, she enrolled in Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania and in 1977 she earned her Bachelor of Science Degree in Health Education with an emphasis in Sports Medicine. Contres returned to her high school alma mater as a substitute teacher. She was teaching high school during the day and coaching the girl's basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
team during the evenings, as well as Athletic Training during other sports seasons. On one occasion she visited a friend at a United States Marine Corps
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
base and was impressed with the institution's discipline. In 1980, she spoke to a Navy recruiter and became aware of the educational and travel opportunities which the Navy offered. Contres decided to enlist for four years of military service.
Military career
Contres attended the Navy’s Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode IslandNewport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
, where she underwent four months of officer training. Her training involved leadership and managerial courses as well as physical training. In February 1981, Contres was commissioned an Ensign
Ensign
An ensign is a national flag when used at sea, in vexillology, or a distinguishing token, emblem, or badge, such as a symbol of office in heraldry...
and assigned to the Naval Audiovisual Center in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
In 1983, Contres was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. During her Navy career she has held various assignments, among them the following:
In 1984, she was assigned to Naval Magazine in Guam, as the Quality Assurance and Safety Officer. She was responsible for both weapon and personnel safety. In 1985, she reported to the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
as the Fleet Retention Officer. As Fleet Retention Officer she tracked and reported retention trends for all Navy in the Pacific Fleet region. That same year she was promoted to Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
.
In 1986, Contres was reassigned to the Fleet Manpower Programming Office. There she was responsible for programming billets for all shore activities in the Pacific Fleet claimancy. In 1989, Captain Contres reported to Recruit Training Command in San Diego, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
where she served in various billets including Recruit Division Officer and Director of Apprenticeship Training Schools and in 1991 she was promoted to Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander
Lieutenant Commander is a commissioned officer rank in many navies. The rank is superior to a lieutenant and subordinate to a commander...
. From 1992 to 1994, she was the Officer in Charge of Personnel Support Detachment, at the Naval Station Long Beach. During her service there, she led her group in earning a record number of customer service and personnel accountability awards. Contres then enrolled at San Diego State University
San Diego State University
San Diego State University , founded in 1897 as San Diego Normal School, is the largest and oldest higher education facility in the greater San Diego area , and is part of the California State University system...
and in 1995 earned her Master of Arts Degree in Educational Leadership. In 1994, Contres was assigned to the Chief of Naval Operations, Navy Training Directorate, in The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
, leading the Shore Training Assessments Branch in providing the Navy's training needs analysis for preparation of the Navy Training Budget.
From 1997 to 2000, Contres, who was promoted to Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
in 1996, became the Commanding Officer of the Navy Recruiting District in Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
overseeing Navy recruiting in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and western Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. Because of her recruiting successes she was selected for a follow-on tour at Navy Recruiting Headquarters in Millington, Tennessee
Millington, Tennessee
Millington is a city in Shelby County, Tennessee. As of the 2010 census, it had a population of 10,176. Millington was the home of the recently closed Memphis Motorsports Park. It was granted the title "Flag City Tennessee" by the Tennessee State Legislature. The Naval Support Activity Mid-South is...
, where she served as the Director of the Diversity Recruiting Programs and was responsible for reversing a declining trend in minority officer accessions and enlisted minority accessions to the highest attainment in four years.
In 2000, Contres was named Director, Service and Support Division (Pers-67)at the Navy Personnel Command, where they ensured consistent, comprehensive support for Navy personnel and their families. Among the programs she was responsible for were: Substance and Alcohol Abuse Prevention, Exceptional Family Member Program, Navy Voting Assistance Program, Suicide Prevention, Retiree Activities, Field Support Programs, and Equal Opportunity Programs. Contres holds subspecialties in Manpower, Personnel and Training, as well as Education and Training Management. In 2002, Contres was promoted to Captain, becoming the highest ranking female Hispanic Line Officer on active duty in the Navy. The term line officer (or "officer of the line") is used in the United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, Coast Guard and Marine Corps to describe a military officer who is trained to command a warship, ground combat unit or combat aviation unit.
DEOMI
On March 18, 2005, Contres replaced CAPT Robert Watts as Commandant of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management InstituteDefense Equal Opportunity Management Institute
The Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute is a U.S. Department of Defense joint services school located at Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, offering both resident and off-site courses in areas including equal opportunity, intercultural communication, and religious, racial, gender, and...
(DEOMI). Contres, became the first Hispanic woman and the thirteenth Commandant to lead the Institute since it was established. She oversees a joint-service school supporting all Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
and U.S. Coast Guard equal opportunity and equal employment opportunity (EO/ EEO) program and research requirements.
She was responsible for maintaining the $24 million compound of the Institute and training more than 2,500 students annually from military bases around the world. Under Contres’ leadership the Institute had a successful re-accreditation overseen by the Council on Occupational Education, a re-write of all curriculum using the Instructional System Design process and the roll-out of a new DEOMI on-line survey utilized by the Military Services to assess the organizational climate of their units.
On June 4, 2010 Contres retired from the United States Navy. She was honored for her service during a change of command and retirement ceremony presided by Rear Admiral Joseph R. Castillo, Commander, Eleventh Coast Guard District, and held at DEOMI in the Major General Lucius Theus Auditorium. Captain Contres was succeeded by Mr. Ronald M. Joe.
ANSO
Contres served two terms as president of the Association of Naval Service OfficersAssociation of Naval Service Officers
The Association of Naval Service Officers is an organization dedicated to expanding the presence of Hispanic and Latino Americans in the sea service of the United States Navy the United States Marine Corps, the United States Coast Guard and the United States Merchant Marine. The organization was...
(ANSO), an organization that fosters the advancement and recognition of Hispanic officers in the uniformed naval services. Her achievements as president include the creation of the group’s first-ever strategic plan; revamping the membership program in ways that tripled annual memberships and doubled the life memberships; more than tripling the attendance at the annual Professional Development and Training Symposium; developing a Speakers Bureau; and quadrupling the number of local chapters.
Hispanic recruitment advocate
Contres is an advocate of Hispanic recruitment for the Navy. Whenever she addresses a group of Hispanics (LatinaLatina
Latina is the feminine form of the term Latino.Latina may also refer to:*Province of Latina, a province in Latium , Italy**Latina, Lazio, the capital of the province of Latina**Latina Nuclear Power Plant*Latina , a district of Madrid...
s) she always stresses the possibilities for advancement and self-improvement that the Navy offers. She has been quoted as saying:
"The Navy is really big on education,” “We have scholarships that basically give college students a paycheck if they get good grades, and allow them to start accruing their years of service towards retirement."
In 2007, Contres, who currently resides in Melbourne
Melbourne
Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The Melbourne City Centre is the hub of the greater metropolitan area and the Census statistical division—of which "Melbourne" is the common name. As of June 2009, the greater...
, Florida, was the recipient of the HENAAC Santiago Rodriguez Diversity Award. HENAAC (Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Awards Conference), is a national non-profit educational organization promoting careers in science, technology, engineering and math, has been honoring and documenting the contributions of Hispanic Americans since 1989. The winners were selected by an independent group of representatives from industry, government, military and academia.
She is a member, serving on two sub-committees, of the congressionally mandated Military Leadership and Diversity Commission. Since 2000, she has been a member of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Civilian Human Resources) Advisory Council on Hispanic Employment.
Awards and recognitions
Her awards and recognitions include the following:- 2003, The Society of Mexican American Engineers & Scientists Medalla de Oro
- 2203, The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers President’s Award
- The Association of Naval Services Officers (ANSO) Leadership Award.
- 2005, Las Primeras Award from MANA (a national Latina organization)
- 2005, Leadership Award from Latina Style magazine
- One of Hispanic Business Magazine's 20 Elite Women for 2006
- 2007, HENAAC Santiago Rodriguez Diversity Award
- 2007, Woman of the Year for the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation
Military decorations
Meritorious Service MedalMeritorious Service Medal (United States)The Meritorious Service Medal is a military decoration presented to members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguished themselves by outstanding meritorious achievement or service to the United States subsequent to January 16, 1969...
with two gold stars (3 awards)
Navy Commendation Medal with four gold stars (5 awards)
Meritorious Unit CommendationMeritorious Unit CommendationThe Meritorious Unit Commendation is a mid-level unit award of the United States military which is awarded to any military command which displays exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service, heroic deeds, or valorous actions....
with one gold star (2 awards)
GWOT Service MedalGlobal War on Terrorism Service MedalThe Global War on Terrorism Service Medal is a military award of the United States military which was created by Executive Order 13289 of President George W. Bush on March 12, 2003...
National Defense Service MedalNational Defense Service MedalThe National Defense Service Medal is a military service medal of the United States military originally commissioned by President Dwight D. Eisenhower...
with one gold star (2 awards)
Foreign Overseas Ribbon
Navy Recruiting RibbonRecruiting Service RibbonThe Recruiting Service Ribbon is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which is issued by every branch of service with the exception of the United States Army...
with one gold star (2 awards)
Navy pistol ExpertMarksmanship MedalThe Marksmanship Medal is a decoration of the United States Navy and the Coast Guard and is the highest award one may receive for weapons qualification...
Badges
- Navy Recruiting Gold Wreath for Recruiting ExcellenceRecruiter BadgeThe Recruiter Badge is a decoration of the United States military which is awarded to those personnel who have performed recruitment duty as military recruiters to the United States Armed Forces. The Recruiter Badge is issued by every branch of military except for the United States Marine Corps...
with 9 stars
See also
- Hispanics in the United States NavyHispanics in the United States NavyHispanics in the United States Navy can trace their tradition of naval military service to men such as Lieutenant Jorge Farragut Mesquida, who served in the American Revolution. Hispanics, such as Seaman Philip Bazaar and Seaman John Ortega, have distinguished themselves in combat and have been...