Pax Air Traffic Control Makes History with All-Women Air Traffic Control Crew
NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer Capt. Derrick Kingsley, center, stands with members of the first all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River May 30. From left, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Syrenia Cuevas, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Kristy Lescrynski, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Erica Headrick, Chief Air Traffic Controller Kristen Costlow, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Talyssa Martin, and Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Tieraney Edmond were all members of this historic team, which stood watches between the Pax River Air Traffic Control Tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.

PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, Md. – On May 30, 2023, for the first time in NAS Patuxent River’s 80-year history, its Air Traffic Control Facility (ATCF) was completely staffed by women. The Air Traffic Controllers (ACs) served in nine watch stations between the NAS Pax River Air Traffic Control Tower, Radar Operations, and Flight Planning. 

NAS Patuxent River is a Class IV Facility and is considered one of the most complex ATCFs in the Navy’s AC community. The NAS Pax River control tower works in excess of 40,000 flight operations per year, and its RADAR operations control over 6,000-square-miles of airspace including the Special Use Airspace complex and provides approach control service to 14 additional airports. 

Pax Air Traffic Control Makes History with All-Women Air Traffic Control Crew

“We call getting fully qualified at PAX equivalent to earning your Ph. D. in Air Traffic Control,” said ACC Kristen Costlow, NAS Patuxent River Air Traffic Control Training Chief. “In order to become fully qualified here at PAX, you have to go through a rigorous training pipeline of 14 air traffic control qualifications. On average, it takes 3 years to obtain designation as a Facility Watch Supervisor, which is the highest qualification you can obtain after completing the prior 13 qualifications.” 

NAS Patuxent River had previously marked a similar milestone in 2018 with an all-women Air Traffic Control qualified tower crew, but this was the first time in the station’s history that all positions on the air traffic control watch were staffed entirely by women Sailors. 

Pax Air Traffic Control Makes History with All-Women Air Traffic Control Crew
Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Tieraney Edmond stands Final Control Watch in the NAS Patuxent River Radar Room May 30. Edmond was part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.

“When I checked in to PAX in February 2018, the women controllers on board made history by having enough qualified women to staff the entire control tower,” said Costlow. “Now, in 2023, we can run the entire facility by ourselves, 100% female. A class IV facility. The most complex facility and aggressive air traffic control training pipeline in the Navy. This goes beyond us being proud of ourselves for standing out in a male-dominant rating. This sets the example for their daughters, sisters, and future women that aspire to join the Navy. We have 70 controllers on board, 13 of them are female, about 17%. The ability to fully staff the ATCF with all women is truly a historical milestone for NAS PAX.” 

While all the Pax River ACs are extremely focused on their demanding jobs in Air Traffic Control, they did pause briefly to remark on the gravity of the occasion. Twelve stories up in the Pax River Air Traffic Control Tower, Tower Supervisor and Local Controller AC1 Amanda Galentine, Ground Controller AC1 Talyssa Martin, and Flight Data Operator AC2 Brianna Boore made note of the occasion in between flights. 

Pax Air Traffic Control Makes History with All-Women Air Traffic Control Crew
Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Autumn Rauen answers the phone during Flight Planning Supervisor/Dispatch watch in the NAS Patuxent River Air Operations Building May 30. Rauen was part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.

“It’s pretty cool; you don’t see this very often at many facilities,” said Galentine. “My Senior Chief at my last shore facility – I really look up to her and she’s one of my mentors – I think she’d be especially pleased to know that this happened. She’s a Master Chief now, so it’s not only nice to see a female leader, she helped me grow into the person and leader I am today. So to be standing here with these other professional women ACs is awesome.” 

From left, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Erica Headrick, Chief Air Traffic Controller Kristen Costlow, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Syrenia Cuevas, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Tieraney Edmond, and Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Kristy Lescrynski pose for a photo in the NAS Patuxent River Radar room. The Sailors were part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.
From left, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Erica Headrick, Chief Air Traffic Controller Kristen Costlow, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Syrenia Cuevas, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Tieraney Edmond, and Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Kristy Lescrynski pose for a photo in the NAS Patuxent River Radar room. The Sailors were part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.
From right, Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Brianna Boore, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Amanda Galentine, and Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Talyssa Martin stand watch in the NAS Patuxent River Air Traffic Control Tower May 30. The three Sailors were part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.
From left Air Traffic Controller 2nd Class Brianna Boore, Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Amanda Galentine, and Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Talyssa Martin stand watch in the NAS Patuxent River Air Traffic Control Tower May 30. The three Sailors were part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.
Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Erica Headrick stands Sector Control watch in the NAS Patuxent River Radar room May 30. Headrick was part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.
Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Erica Headrick stands Sector Control watch in the NAS Patuxent River Radar room May 30. Headrick was part of an all-women air traffic control crew at NAS Patuxent River, standing watch at nine posts between the tower, Flight Planning, and Radar.

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