1830's: First women officially assigned as keepers in the Lighthouse Service. (Many wives and daughters of keepers had previously served.) Women continued as lighthouse keepers until the 1940's.)

1918: Twin sisters Genevieve and Lucille Baker of the Naval Coastal Defense Reserve became the first uniformed women to serve in the Coast Guard.

1940's: First civilian women hired to serve in secretarial and clerical positions.

1942: SPARs established. LCDR Dorothy Stratton transferred from the Navy to serve as the director of the SPARs. More than 11,000 SPARs served during World War II. The program was largely demobilized after the war.

1945: First five African-American females entered the SPARs: Olivia Hooker, D. Winifred Byrd, Julia Mosley, Yvonne Cumberbatch, and Aileen Cooke.

1947: The Women's Reserve of the U. S. Coast Guard Reserve (SPARs) was inactivated.

1949: (1 November) Authority to reestablish the Women's Reserve of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserves (SPARs), approved by the President on 4 August 1949, became effective.

1950: (January) U.S. Coast Guard Women's Volunteer Reserve was reactiviated and opened to all eligible veteran officers.

(5 April) The U.S. Coast Guard announced that former enlisted women of the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve could apply for enlistment in the Women's Volunteer Reserve, or SPARs. Enlistments would be for a three-year period with written agreement to serve on active duty in time of war or national emergency.

(8 August) The U.S. Coast Guard announced the start of an intensive campaign throughout the nation to reenlist former U.S. Coast Guardsmen and Reservists, including SPARs, in the new Coast Guard Reserve.

1958: First Coast Guard SPAR advanced to warrant officer: Elizabeth Splaine.

1960's: First civilian women hired in non-traditional occupations such as engineering.

1962: First SPAR advanced to E-9: Pearl Faurie.

1965: Approximately 75 women enlisted as SK's and YN's in the USCG Reserve.

1972: First women's Reserve Enlisted Basic Indoctrination classes established. Four ratings were available: Yeoman, Storekeeper, Radioman, and Hospital Corpsman.

1973: Legislation ends Women's Reserve.

Women integrated into active duty and Coast Guard Reserve.

Women admitted to Officer Candidate School (February).

Combat exclusion for women in the Coast Guard ends.

First SPAR to be sworn into the regular Coast Guard: Alice Jefferson.

1974: Mixed gender basic training begins.

The first group of women ever enlisted as "Regulars" report to Cape May on 15 January.

First woman on active duty promoted to captain since World War II: Eleanor L'Ecuyer.

1975: First Coast Guard women assigned to flight training.

1976: Coast Guard is first military service academy to admit women.

1977: First mixed gender crews afloat.

First woman designated as a Coast Guard aviator: Janna Lambine.

1978: All officer career fields and enlisted ratings opened to women.

1979: First woman commanding officer afloat: Beverly Kelly.

First woman commanding officer isolated duty: Kay Hartzell

1980: First woman graduate from Coast Guard Academy: Jean Butler

DACOWITS amended its regulations to include the concerns of Coast Guard women.

1981: Enlisted women assigned to isolated units.

1982: First woman killed in the line of duty--helicopter accident on a rescue mission: Colleen Cain.

First active-duty woman promoted to Chief Petty Officer: PAC Day Boswell.

1983: First female radioman advanced to E-7: Robin Patton.

1984: First woman to complete Navy Dive School.

First Coast Guard woman officer assigned as Military Aide to the President: Vivien Crea.

1985: First woman awarded Air Medal: Ginger Barnes.

First woman to graduate first in her class at the Coast Guard Academy: Denise Matthews.

1986: First woman to graduate from Navy Rescue Swimmer School: Kelly Mogk.

First woman promoted to CWO (PERS): Pamela Jones.

1987: First woman promoted to CWO (F&S): Ellen Terrill.

First woman promoted to CWO (MED): Connie Swaro.

1988: First enlisted woman assigned to officer-in-charge afloat billet: Dianne Bucci.

First African-American female/first female engineer advanced to E-7: Pamela Autry.

First Asian American female warrant officer: Grace Parmalee.

1989: First enlisted woman assigned as officer-in-charge ashore: Krystine Carbajal.

First woman appointed as Coast Guard Flight Officer: Simone Vassar.

First woman promoted to CWO (ELC): Lauren Cantatore.

First woman promoted to CWO (COMMS): Robin Patton.

The Women in the Coast Guard Study was initiated.

1990: Desert Shield begins with 14 women reservists serving in the Persian Gulf.

First Women's Policy Advisor appointed: Lane McClelland.

First woman promoted to CWO (BOSN): Anne Visser.

1991: Women's Advisory Council established.

1992: First active duty woman since SPARs promoted to the rank of captain: Lane McClelland.

First woman commanding officer of an air station: Vivien Crea.

First Hispanic American female advanced to E-7: Sonia Colon.

1993: First enlisted woman since the SPARs to be advanced to E-9: Patricia Stolle.

First military woman assigned as Chief Judge of the Coast Guard: Lane McClelland.

First woman promoted to E-7 in a weapons rating: Jo Wildman.

BM2 Kathy Niles was the first woman to qualify on the 47-foot MLB (47200).
1994: First woman assigned as Executive Assistant to the Commandant: Vivien Crea.

1995: First active duty African-American woman to be promoted to warrant officer: Doris Hull.

BM2 Kathy Niles becomes the first woman to win the Munro Award.

1997: First female admiral appointed from the Public Health Service to head the Coast Guard Health and Safety Directorate: Joyce Johnson.

First female Chief of the Boat: Pamela Autry.

1998: First female commanding officer of a Coast Guard Training Center: Sally Brice-O'Hara.

First two female "Gold Badge" Command Master Chiefs: Patricia Stolle, Diane Bucci.

First woman Chief Petty Officer Academy School Chief: Sandra O'Toole.

1999: First woman promoted to CWO (WEPs): Jo Wildman.

First woman promoted to CWO (ENG): Gayla Thompson, Karyn Perry.

LTJG Kathy Niles became the first woman to command an 87-foot WPB in when she took
command of USCGC Stingray, Mobile, AL.
2000: First woman promoted to RADM: Vivien S. Crea

First woman promoted to Reserve RADM: Mary P. O'Donnell, USCGR

First African-American woman promoted to master chief: Angela McShan.

First woman promoted to CWO (AVI), Deborah Walsh, 1 June 2000.