Navy Captain Janice Smith now head of the Military Sealift Command Atlantic (MSCLANT)
Woman raised by vendor in Jamaica creates military history in US
A past student of Bog Walk Secondary School, now Enid Bennett High in St. Catherine, created history this week in the United States when she became the first African American woman to head the Military Sealift Command Atlantic (MSCLANT).
The promotion places the Jamaican native, Navy Captain Janice Smith, in control of the entire Atlantic regarding the execution of strategic sealift missions, the transportation and maintenance of military equipment, as well as logistics coordination.
That's indeed a massive feat for a woman born in Kingston and raised under financially tough circumstances in the Morris Hall area of Harkers Hall district - not very far from Bog Walk in St. Catherine.
She grew up with her late grandmother, Iris Plummer, who sold goods in Linstead Market to make ends meet.
Smith, who migrated from Jamaica when she was a young adult, was on the island visiting relatives up to late last year.
She assumed leadership of MSCLANT during a change of command ceremony held at Naval Station Norfolk this week Thursday, March 19.
This is not the first time that Smith is grabbing the headlines. She, in 2016, also created history when she became the first immigrant of Jamaican descent to command a destroyer; that's when she assumed leadership of the Arleigh Burke-class guided missile destroyer USS Oscar Austin (DDG 79).
Captain Smith was a guest panelist at the 2017 JWOF Women’s Empowerment Conference and Scholarship Luncheon. We were honored then and even more so now to have had her share her journey with us! God’s speed Captain Smith!