Personal History Name: Stefanie Goebel Where were you born? Please tell us a little about your family: · How many generations in · Brothers and sisters? · What was life like growing up? · Any favorite family/friend story or event? · What was your favorite afterschool activity as a kid? My parents are both German immigrants who immigrated directly after they married in 1955. I and my brother , sisters and I were all born in Highlights of growing up in Please tell us how you came to be at the · Other family members who attended? · Lifelong dream? · Path to college? · Accidental opportunity? I found out about USNA at my college forum night my senior year in high school. They announced that the 3 service academies were accepting women for the first time in the orientation. My dad thought we should check it out, so we did. He was navy in WWII in the German Navy. I ultimately applied and attended for a variety of reasons: 1) the adventure … I couldn’t’ wait to get far away from Midland, TX out into the wide wide world; 2) the opportunity…my parents couldn’t afford college for me, and I thought it would be great to not have to work my way thru; 3) the challenge…I wanted a challenge, but of course I had no idea what lie in wait for me; 4) my dad was enthusiastic about it and I really craved his approval and attention. Please share some anecdotes of Plebe Year - perhaps a memory or two that is particularly strong. Memories I have of Plebe Summer are particularly strong (this might be true for most). My goodness, I remember that bell that rang at As an upperclassman, any favorite story? I will always remember the creativity of other mids in finding ways to have fun in and around the hall. I remember my classmates making parachutes out of breadbags for mice they had caught in Bancroft and tossing them out of 6-3 windows to see if they would run away after impact (or not). I loved to watch the 8th Wing Players after I got to 34th How did you feel at graduation - Joyous? Relieved? Tired? All of the above? Totally, utterly, completely relieved. And yes, exhausted. Like others, I often had those dreams in the months leading up to graduation where something would happen that would keep me from getting there. I’m only sad I missed the now famous pic of us all. I seem to remember that a classmate left her white gloves in the hall and I drove back to get them. Please tell us which community you joined after graduation. How was your experience when you joined the Fleet? Any favorite anecdote or two? I joined the 1100 GURL community. I could have joined a warfare community, and it was hard not to, but I just felt I didn’t have it in me to integrate anything else. I was emotionally exhausted. I’m very proud of the contribution we all made wherever we served, but my hat is off to those that integrated operational wardrooms in the fleet after the challenge of integrating USNA. My experiences on active duty were great. I felt I was always well respected and successful. I served in How long did you serve on active duty? 12 years and 10 mos. Why did you elect to eventually leave the service (if applicable)? In an effort to get leadership tours, I had taken my career down the PSD/PSA path. This was a little administrative for me, and I wasn’t really enjoying the navy anymore. In my last tour I also had a personality conflict with a CO that resulted in a couple of B’s on a fitrep. So, the combination of less interesting tours and knowing I wouldn’t be competitive anymore (plus the fact they were paying people to get out in the early 90’s) made leaving seem like a great idea. What did you do after leaving the Naval Service? I was committed to doing something that my heart was in. So, I tried a few different things and took some college courses. I had also always wanted to join a women’s group like NOW, even though I didn’t really know anything about them. I guess was a closet feminist, but closeted even from myself as I don’t think I would have described myself that way. In any case, I couldn’t find a NOW branch on the Where do you live now? What are you doing now? Any other future plans? Launching an online mentor program for military women officers/vets with the nonprofit, AcademyWomen, a networking and professional development organization for women military officers, vets and officers-in-training in all the services. My vision is that the program will serve thousands of military women including officers-in-training at all the service academies, ROTC units, etc. The business plan for the project involves locating and contracting with organizations that serve/employ our target audience (women officers, officers-in-training or vets) to create online mentor programs for these women in their organizations. This way we can serve a wider group of women than just our AW membership while also creating the opportunity to expand our membership and also fund the program. Please tell us a little about your current family. My brother, Joe, lives in What is your favorite non-work activity? I love to be with my family, to travel, dance, ride mountain bikes, ski, hike, knit, bead and read and get together with very special women like my USNA women classmates. What is your Meyers-Briggs personality (just for fun)? Can’t remember. What is people’s biggest misconception about you? Not sure. What is the silliest thing you have ever done? Too numerous and embarrassing to list. What is the hardest thing you have ever faced? Attitudes toward women at USNA and having so little maturity with which to cope. What is your greatest success? I have to list more than one: 1) Completing USNA; 2) Loving relationships with all my family members; 3) my grad degrees; 4) the sexual harassment training I organized at a high school in the mid-90’s; 5) the 80 women 10 yr reunion What are you most proud of? All the leadership and mentoring events and programs I have helped to organize for girls and young women. Who inspired you or mentored you while a mid or on active duty? I was always inspired by my other women classmates, but I didn’t really seek mentoring. Didn’t understand what it was. What is your greatest lesson learned about leadership? Make sure your people have what they need to do their jobs and that they have as much quality of life as you can help create. Also make sure you connect with them personally….it makes all the difference. What are your reflections on the process of integrating women into USNA and into the Navy? USNA: The attitudes that result in the institution being unwelcome to women used to reflect the greater society. Now it reflects a lack of leadership with the courage to lead the culture change at the academy. The few men who have had the courage to step up to the plate (VADM Rempt) have made great strides. I think the ‘leadership issue’ is just as relevant to female integration in the navy. What advice would you give to hopeful midshipmen- to- be as they look to USNA as the opportunity of a lifetime? Don’t let the ‘coolness factor’ stop you from taking full advantage of all the amazing opportunities to learn at grow at USNA.
What additional advice would you give to the woman midshipman or midshipman-to-be? There is no doubt you will work to be seen as tough and competent by your male peers. And you will also create good friends among men in your classes and company and this is as it should be. However, make sure to find ways to seek support and sisterhood with other women mids either thru participation in womens sports or the women’s glee club, Joy Bright Hancock organization, etc. If possible, see the mentorship of women alumni. You cannot anticipate how important this will be, but I assure you it is. There will be challenges that you will face as a woman that the men will not. And your ability to overcome these will be dramatically improved by the support and mentorship of other women mids or alumnae. |