Judith Neuffer
Encyclopedia
Judith Neuffer Bruner is one of the earliest successful examples of women attaining large scale achievement in male-dominated careers starting in the early 1970s. Her contributions to helping shatter the ‘glass ceiling’ for professional women, while not a life goal, were nonetheless significant. “Judy” has had two very successful careers. She had a successful military career which included being part of the first group of eight women receiving orders for Navy Flight Training in 1973, six of whom went on to earn their pilot's wings. She was the first female Navy pilot to fly through a hurricane, and ultimately attained the rank of Navy Captain. Judith Neuffer Bruner is currently serving in her second career as a senior manager for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) at the Goddard Space Flight Center, where she has led numerous large programs.
, Ohio
, in a state well known for its rich aviation heritage through the contributions of such people as Orville and Wilbur Wright, John Glenn
, and Neil Armstrong
. Influenced in part by her father, a WWII B-17 pilot and post-war airport manger, “Judy” started accompanying her father to work during summer breaks from school at age 11. Her summer assignments were usually those of helping in the airport front office, but it turned out to be close enough to excite Judy’s young passion for things that fly. By the time Judy was 15 she had already started flight lessons in the legendary Piper Cub airplane. At 16 years of age, Judy successfully soloed in the Cub. At eighteen, Judy started attending Ohio State University
, graduating four years later with a B.S. Degree in Computer Science. It was in her junior year of college that Judy first became intrigued with the idea of serving in the military. She enlisted at the end of her junior year and was commissioned when she graduated the following year. She was serving her first tour of duty in the Navy when flight training opened up to women.
first offered official flight training to females in 1973, orders were cut for only 8 potential female pilots, six of whom went on to earn their wings. Judy Neuffer was one of these first six women. The other five women to earn their wings were Barbara Allen Rainey
, Jane Skiles O'Dea
, Rosemary Mariner, Ana Marie Fuqua, and Joellen Drag. Back then, flight training for women was limited to non-combat aircraft only. As a result, and upon graduation from flight training in 1974, four of the female pilots received aircraft assignments in cargo aircraft. However, Judy requested, and was assigned to the P-3 aircraft commonly used for submarine patrol and weather surveillance, including hurricane reconnaissance . This aircraft carried a crew of 12 personnel including three pilots. During her Navy flying career, Judy logged several thousands of hours piloting the P-3, and became the first female P-3 Aircraft Commander and the first woman to pilot an aircraft through the eye of a hurricane.
Judy Neuffer Bruner served a total of 28 years in the United States Navy. During her 10 years on active duty, Judy’s tour included numerous flying assignments and a tour at The Pentagon
. During her 18 years in the Naval Reserves, Judy held three Commanding Officer positions and also served as the Director of the Navy’s Science and Technology Reserve Program. She received numerous Navy awards including four Meritorious Service Medals and the Navy Commendation Medal. Judy Neuffer retired from the United States Navy in 1998 having attained the rank of Captain.
in 1981, working first as a contractor for UNISYS Corporation as a Senior Systems Analyst on the Hubble Space Telescope
mission. Judy formally joined NASA in 1989 working two years as the ground system Implementation Manager on the Earth Observing System
satellite missions. Judy was then selected to head the Spacecraft Control Center Branch. In this capacity, Judy was assigned the responsibility for the development and implementation of all satellite control centers for missions at the Goddard Space Flight Center
(GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. Concurrently, Judy also earned her M.S. Degree from The George Washington University
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1995.
In 1997, Judy was assigned to Goddard Space Flight Center’s Directors Staff serving in various capacities including Acting Director of NASA’s IV&V facility in West Virginia and Program Manager for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
(SOHO) mission. When the Space Shuttle Columbia
accident occurred in February 2003, Judy served as the GSFC point of contact for the investigation and the focal point for GSFC’s support of NASA’s subsequent Return to Flight. Currently Judy Neuffer Bruner is the Assistant Director for Safety and Security at Goddard Space Flight Center. Judy has received numerous technical and management awards during her tenure at NASA. To date, Judy has received the Exceptional Service Medal, the Exceptional Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the Outstanding Management Award to name just a few.
Early life and education
Judy Neuffer was born in WoosterWooster, Ohio
Wooster is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Wayne County. The municipality is located in northeastern Ohio approximately SSW of Cleveland and SW of Akron. Wooster is noted as the location of The College of Wooster...
, Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, in a state well known for its rich aviation heritage through the contributions of such people as Orville and Wilbur Wright, John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
, and Neil Armstrong
Neil Armstrong
Neil Alden Armstrong is an American former astronaut, test pilot, aerospace engineer, university professor, United States Naval Aviator, and the first person to set foot upon the Moon....
. Influenced in part by her father, a WWII B-17 pilot and post-war airport manger, “Judy” started accompanying her father to work during summer breaks from school at age 11. Her summer assignments were usually those of helping in the airport front office, but it turned out to be close enough to excite Judy’s young passion for things that fly. By the time Judy was 15 she had already started flight lessons in the legendary Piper Cub airplane. At 16 years of age, Judy successfully soloed in the Cub. At eighteen, Judy started attending Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
, graduating four years later with a B.S. Degree in Computer Science. It was in her junior year of college that Judy first became intrigued with the idea of serving in the military. She enlisted at the end of her junior year and was commissioned when she graduated the following year. She was serving her first tour of duty in the Navy when flight training opened up to women.
Aviation and Military Success
When the United States NavyUnited States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
first offered official flight training to females in 1973, orders were cut for only 8 potential female pilots, six of whom went on to earn their wings. Judy Neuffer was one of these first six women. The other five women to earn their wings were Barbara Allen Rainey
Barbara Allen Rainey
Barbara Ann Allen Rainey was the first female pilot in the U. S. armed forces. Rainey received her wings of gold as the first female to be designated a naval aviator in February 1974 and became the first Navy woman to qualify as a jet pilot. She attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander in the...
, Jane Skiles O'Dea
Jane Skiles O'Dea
Captain Jane Skiles O'Dea was one of the first six women to earn their wings as Navy pilots in 1974, and was the first woman qualified in the C-130 Hercules. She was also the first Navy woman qualified as a flight instructor...
, Rosemary Mariner, Ana Marie Fuqua, and Joellen Drag. Back then, flight training for women was limited to non-combat aircraft only. As a result, and upon graduation from flight training in 1974, four of the female pilots received aircraft assignments in cargo aircraft. However, Judy requested, and was assigned to the P-3 aircraft commonly used for submarine patrol and weather surveillance, including hurricane reconnaissance . This aircraft carried a crew of 12 personnel including three pilots. During her Navy flying career, Judy logged several thousands of hours piloting the P-3, and became the first female P-3 Aircraft Commander and the first woman to pilot an aircraft through the eye of a hurricane.
Judy Neuffer Bruner served a total of 28 years in the United States Navy. During her 10 years on active duty, Judy’s tour included numerous flying assignments and a tour at The Pentagon
The Pentagon
The Pentagon is the headquarters of the United States Department of Defense, located in Arlington County, Virginia. As a symbol of the U.S. military, "the Pentagon" is often used metonymically to refer to the Department of Defense rather than the building itself.Designed by the American architect...
. During her 18 years in the Naval Reserves, Judy held three Commanding Officer positions and also served as the Director of the Navy’s Science and Technology Reserve Program. She received numerous Navy awards including four Meritorious Service Medals and the Navy Commendation Medal. Judy Neuffer retired from the United States Navy in 1998 having attained the rank of Captain.
Aerospace career
Judy Neuffer Bruner began her career with NASANASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is the agency of the United States government that is responsible for the nation's civilian space program and for aeronautics and aerospace research...
in 1981, working first as a contractor for UNISYS Corporation as a Senior Systems Analyst on the Hubble Space Telescope
Hubble Space Telescope
The Hubble Space Telescope is a space telescope that was carried into orbit by a Space Shuttle in 1990 and remains in operation. A 2.4 meter aperture telescope in low Earth orbit, Hubble's four main instruments observe in the near ultraviolet, visible, and near infrared...
mission. Judy formally joined NASA in 1989 working two years as the ground system Implementation Manager on the Earth Observing System
Earth Observing System
The Earth Observing System is a program of NASA comprising a series of artificial satellite missions and scientific instruments in Earth orbit designed for long-term global observations of the land surface, biosphere, atmosphere, and oceans of the Earth. The satellite component of the program was...
satellite missions. Judy was then selected to head the Spacecraft Control Center Branch. In this capacity, Judy was assigned the responsibility for the development and implementation of all satellite control centers for missions at the Goddard Space Flight Center
Goddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
(GSFC) in Greenbelt, Maryland. Concurrently, Judy also earned her M.S. Degree from The George Washington University
George Washington University
The George Washington University is a private, coeducational comprehensive university located in Washington, D.C. in the United States...
School of Engineering and Applied Sciences in 1995.
In 1997, Judy was assigned to Goddard Space Flight Center’s Directors Staff serving in various capacities including Acting Director of NASA’s IV&V facility in West Virginia and Program Manager for the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
The Solar and Heliospheric Observatory is a spacecraft built by a European industrial consortium led by Matra Marconi Space that was launched on a Lockheed Martin Atlas IIAS launch vehicle on December 2, 1995 to study the Sun, and has discovered over 2100 comets. It began normal operations in May...
(SOHO) mission. When the Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia
Space Shuttle Columbia was the first spaceworthy Space Shuttle in NASA's orbital fleet. First launched on the STS-1 mission, the first of the Space Shuttle program, it completed 27 missions before being destroyed during re-entry on February 1, 2003 near the end of its 28th, STS-107. All seven crew...
accident occurred in February 2003, Judy served as the GSFC point of contact for the investigation and the focal point for GSFC’s support of NASA’s subsequent Return to Flight. Currently Judy Neuffer Bruner is the Assistant Director for Safety and Security at Goddard Space Flight Center. Judy has received numerous technical and management awards during her tenure at NASA. To date, Judy has received the Exceptional Service Medal, the Exceptional Achievement Medal, the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the Outstanding Management Award to name just a few.
See also
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- Naval AviationNaval aviationNaval aviation is the application of manned military air power by navies, including ships that embark fixed-wing aircraft or helicopters. In contrast, maritime aviation is the operation of aircraft in a maritime role under the command of non-naval forces such as the former RAF Coastal Command or a...
- National Aeronautics and Space Administration