U.S. Navy Sailor of the Year Cassandra Foote – Hails from Vergennes, Vermont

When Cassandra Foote, 27, graduated from high school and enlisted in the Navy in June 2001, she had never even seen the ocean. The Vergennes native has embarked on what is already a distinguished career – and this year has received an historic honor from the U.S. Navy and for women. For the first time in its history, all four recipients of the 2009 Sailor of the Year (representing four realms of the Navy) are women, and Foote is among them.

Foote joined the Navy on June 11, 2001. Following Recruit Training in Great Lakes, IL she completed Electronic Warfare “A” school in Pensacola, FL. Her first assignment was to USS Winston Churchill. Petty Officer Foote transferred to Norfolk, VA from May 2003-June 2004. In 2003 she moved on to the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower for the next three years. She then reported on board CID Corry Station where she became an instructor in cryptology.

Her awards include the Joint Service Commendation Medal, Joint Service Achievement Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Good Conduct Medal with one Bronze Star, National Defense Medal, GWOT Expeditionary Medal, GWOT Service Medal, and Rifle Marksman ribbon. She is qualified as an Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist, Enlisted Aviation Warfare Specialist and Master Training Specialist.

Petty Officer Foote has one son, named Adyson.

She spoke with Vermont Woman by phone from her station in Pensacola, FL.

Vermont Woman: Did you have a tough decision choosing which branch of the military you would join?

Cassandra Foote: No ma’am, actually my uncle served in the Navy as well. So ever since I was a little girl I knew that’s what I wanted to do ‘cause I was just so excited to hear all the stories he had about all the travels and things he got to do. He’s also from Vermont, we’re from Addison County originally, and he joined the Navy right out of high school and I did the same.

VW: Beyond what your uncle told you, what was the appeal; and how much experience with the ocean did you have prior to enlisting?

CF: I had none – I had never even seen the ocean before, honestly – because you know, we live in Vermont, we don’t [get to see any]! I was [drawn by the appeal of] the education, by the travel. I came from a not wealthy family so the idea of college was a little overwhelming dealing with the financial burden. So I liked the idea of the education but more importantly the adventure and the traveling and the job, also – it sounded like something I would enjoy doing. And the fact that they sent me to school to do it was just awesome.

VW: It was June 2001 you enlisted? So obviously a few months later a lot changed – what was your experience at that point and how did it change your thoughts?

CF: Yes ma’am, actually I was down here in Pensacola Florida where I am stationed now going to school just like I’m teaching now, when September 11 happened. And it was a very scary day – they locked down the base and we didn’t know what to expect. I saw it on TV and it made me really gut-check and think about what I had just committed to – because when I committed, there was no conflicts that we were involved with at a high level that I would have known about. So now it was scary. I called my mom right away and she was concerned and wondered if I was going to be shipping out or what was going to happen… So it was a scary day – but, all in all it made me extra proud of why I’m here and it gave me a sense of meaning and purpose.

VW: This past Memorial Day, you returned home to lead the Vergennes Memorial Day Parade, and you visited the local schools. What were some of the things you talked about with the kids?

CF: Yes ma’am, the biggest thing I wanted to get across was the opportunity that there is in the military. We come from Vergennes, Vermont, the smallest city in the United States – it’s hard to look outside of that sometimes and you know, the opportunities that are available and you don’t have to be super smart, you don’t have to be the number one person in your class, you don’t have to be an athlete – you just have to want to be there and give your all and you can do anything, you can succeed at absolutely anything you want to. Especially in the military, as long as you have a good attitude and good morals and then you’ll be great.

VW: During the ceremonies for your Sailor of the Year honor, you went to Washington DC and among other activities, you visited the Armed Forces Retirement Home – what were your impressions; were there any women there?

CF: There actually were. It was quite incredible because we talked with some of the WAVES and heard their stories. Because you know, they laid the groundwork for me to be where I am – they did all the hard things, they went through the integration of women onto ships, and they went through all the hard work in actually getting us to where we are today. I just get to follow in their legacy and have an easy job.

VW: Can you explain a bit about what your cryptology work is?

CF: Yes ma’am, specifically I work, when I’m out to sea on the ship or even here, we’re teaching about electronic frequencies, things like that – we pick up radio frequencies out to sea and identify what kinds of platforms they come off of.

VW: When you were in high school was there anything you studied, or interests you had, that make sense that this is what you’ve gotten into, or is it a surprising affinity you found?

CF: No, not at all actually… I love math and science and in my field math propagation and things like that are very important and it definitely helped out. We had to take a test when we joined the Navy [Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test] and doing better in those areas helped me get put into this job, into cryptology. And also like I said, my uncle was also a cryptologist – it’s something I always strived for.

Editor’s note: the following comment was added by Gary Nichols, a Navy public affairs officer who joined in our interview.

GN: the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery Test is a standardized test that everybody in the military has to take, and it does a pretty good job of measuring somebody’s overall aptitude in certain areas. But Cassandra is not one to blow her horn and one of the things that she didn’t mention at all but I’m going to mention for her – the students that show up here at Corry Station – they don’t have to come from great families, they don’t have to have a great education – they have to have this natural aptitude – the natural smarts for certain subjects and the Navy requires that our students have some of the highest ASVAB scores in the Navy to go through our schooling. So she sells herself a little bit short in that regard because she’s one of those kids who went through that training – and the only other group that has slightly higher ASVAB scores are the folks in the nuclear propulsion program. These are some smart cookies.

VW: A few years ago you went to serve in Qatar – was that a voluntary assignment?

CF: Yes ma’am. What happens is [the command] comes out with [assignments] and they take volunteers first. I was first to raise my hand – I love serving and doing things like that and it was an opportunity to get overseas and be involved with what’s going on – and I also got to work in a joint environment which means, with the Air Force and the Army and the Marines – and that’s a priceless experience.

VW: I noticed on your resume that you are an “aviation specialist” – when you are in the Navy, what does that entail?

CF: Yes, ma’am. I was attached to an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Eisenhower, for four years, and on there, we have a full air wing – there’s all those planes on there so you get to learn about the aircraft and the maintenance schedules and the flight deck and how they take off and land and all the different people who are involved with directing the traffic and handling [them around] on the deck and all the maintenance, so you get to learn quite a bit about the aircraft and you actually get to see ‘em launch and recover on the flight deck. It’s so incredible – it’s an experience that everybody should get at some point ‘cause you just can’t explain it unless you’re there watching these airplanes fly off the end of a deck of the ship – they look like they’re going to go straight into the water, [but instead] they fly up into the sky – it’s just incredible!

VW: Have you been in one of those planes?

CF: I have not had the privilege of doing that yet but I hope one day!

VW: For other Vermont women who might consider joining the service and the Navy specifically, what advice do you have and what kind of a person do you think one needs to be?

CF: (pause) I think my advice is, if you’re going to do it, do it wholeheartedly. Don’t join the military and not be sure; make sure it’s the decision for you and never look back – give everything you’ve got. Don’t be discouraged – there’s going to be long hours, there’s going to be tough jobs but always remember there’s a good reason. You know, we’re fighting for our country’s freedom and, being so close to New York, that struck home for quite a few of us – you know, that’s why we serve and just be proud of what you’re doing and give everything you’ve got to it and never look back.

VW: I understand you’ve had great support from your mom – so in regards to getting help caring for your son, if a woman doesn’t have that family support do you think it’s realistic for a single mother to join the military?

CF: It could be; it depends on not just the family structure but the [friendship] structure. But the military also provides a ton of different services that can help out with that – they have family support services and counselors and all sorts of things you can reach out and tap into to get help and different resources that can help you find help if you need it.

VW: What are moments in your work that are most gratifying or exhilarating?

CF: Most gratifying would be the relationships that I have made in the Navy – it’s like another just huge family and the people you get to work with every day – whether on shore duty or on a ship – those are relationships you’re going to have for the rest of your life ‘cause you have to count on each other. But not only that; just the pride in what we’re doing and knowing that people can sleep easy – literally sleep easy at night because we’re out fighting for their freedom is a great feeling.

VW: Prior to this honor, had you met the other three sailors of the year?

CF: No I had never met any of them before, but we got together on email a couple weeks before the recognition week and it was incredible – once again, I’m preaching on these relationships! – It’s just so awesome – we all shared in this great honor but it was so fun to get to know each other and talk about where we all came from – we all came from all over the world: one of the selectees was from Japan, one was from Norfolk, I’m in Florida, the other one was in Germany. So all our different experiences had led us to the same place and it was just awesome to share those stories and inspire each other to keep going and keep working hard.

VW: Who are the people you admire or who inspire you?

CF: I have a lot of mentors and leaders I’ve worked for throughout my career – there’s not one in particular – but most importantly would be my mother because without her I couldn’t be here – she supports me all the time one hundred thousand percent and if I ever need her she’s here for me; it could be leaving tomorrow – say I had to leave tomorrow, she would be here in a heartbeat to take my son and I wouldn’t have to worry about him – and also the upbringing she gave me – I never would have made it to where I am today.

VW: Thank you for serving from Vermont and doing us proud!

CF: Absolutely – it’s my pleasure, ma’am!