Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born [Paperback]

Diane Diekman (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 25, 2001

When Diane Diekman became an aviation maintenance officer (a "greenshirt") in the U.S. Navy in 1978, her challenges included proving herself professionally before gaining the acceptance and respect routinely granted to men. _Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born_ is the story of a female pioneer who struggled and succeeded in the male-dominated world of naval aviation. The commanding officer of her first squadron fired her when she failed his hidden test to assert herself as a leader. That painful lesson strengthened the timid South Dakota farm girl and defined her future leadership style. _Navy Greenshirt_, which offers hope to men and women not born to lead, describes the experiences that molded Diekman into a successful leader.

Editorial Reviews

Review

It's an adventure story.... among Diekman's greatest accomplishments were helping to eradicate sexism from the armed forces.... -- South Dakota Magazine

About the Author

Diane Diekman graduated from college and enlisted in the Navy in 1972. She earned a commission via Officer Candidate School and rose through the ranks to become the fourth woman in the Navy's aircraft maintenance field promoted to the rank of captain. Twice listed in _Marquis Who's Who of American Women_, she currently commands a Department of Defense organization and lives in Los Angeles with her two daughters. She is the author of a childhood memoir, _A Farm in the Hidewood: My South Dakota Home_.

Product Details

• Paperback: 229 pages
• Publisher: Alturia Pub (October 25, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0970820119
• ISBN-13: 978-0970820112
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.4 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,401,446 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Captain Courageous, March 5, 2002

By 

Robert Amerson (Cape Cod, Mass.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born (Paperback)

In this memoir Diane Diekman has given us both a compelling personal success story and a valuable document of American history.

The tale itself is dramatic enough: smart girl off a South Dakota farm joins the U.S. Navy and, against all odds, rises to the rank of Captain. In persistent detail, and with courageous candor, she spells out why such an achievement for any woman is especially difficult in "this man's Navy" -- the residual bias against females; the social exclusions; the daunting loneliness (at one point she is the only woman on a carrier with 3,700 men); having to decide when to be "one of the boys" and when to stand her ground; the personal cost of placing career above private yearnings for husband and family. She is not afraid to tell us that, yes, Naval officers can permit themselves to cry on bad days or nights. She notes her desperate but unsuccessful attempts to become pregnant without a man in her life, through artificial semination. (She now has two adopted daughters.)

Historically, this is an authentic record of the changing role of women in the U.S. military over the last few decades. The book offers useful guidance to others seeking to follow this career -- particularly in illustrating how, within the military system, one can overcome shyness with self-confidence and an aura of leadership leading to success.

Almost as a bonus the reader is treated to the flavor of Navy life: the never-ending competition for promotion; the traditions of social events; the obligatory partying (we get some insights to the "Tailhook scandal" of a decade ago); the required mobility. Standard for the naval careerist is variety in geography, from a Pacific island to Japan and Europe to the White House -- with frequent side trips.

"Join the Navy and see the world." Diane Diekman did just that, and a bit more. Her honest book about it makes for rewarding reading.

NOTE: The writer of this review is acquainted with some of the territory, having also grown up in rural South Dakota and experienced a career in the U.S. Foreign Service.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Greenshirt Review, February 2, 2002

By 

Joey Cacciola (Misawa, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born (Paperback)

Great reading. I couldn't put the book down. I began reading it Saturday evening, and finished it Sunday afternoon. I was able to relate to so many of CAPT Diekman's stories. Many mistakes and lesson learned that the CAPT went through can be avoided by individuals who read this book. Sometimes we don't see the writing on the wall. CAPT Diekman managed to overcome many obstacles that few of us ever do. It was an encouragement to me to press on in the face of adversity.

4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Admiration for a great gal!, March 10, 2002

By 

Mona I. Vanek (Noxon, MT, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Navy Greenshirt: A Leader Made, Not Born (Paperback)

After reading Dianne Diekman's story it would be hard to express greater admiration for the courage, dermination and tenacity that kept her motivated to achieve each milestone on her way to becoming a leader in the maintence department of our nation's air force. From the shy farm girl who attended a one-room schoolhouse to the commanding position she holds today, every challenge that confronted Dianne strengthened her resolve to surmount it. From air base to air base, each new assignment brought greater resonsibility as her duties esculated. And she mastered each one, never letting disappointments when co-workers weren't fair detour her. All the while, Dianne maintained her perspective and was respectful and considerate of those she commanded. Distressed by the serious illness of her beloved brother, her inability to conceive a child so she could become a mother, her long separtations from family, and the frequent wrenching from the bonds she formed at each current airbase assignment, she never-the-less did not waivered in her dedication to duty. I thrilled with Dianne as the plane she was in was catapulted from carriers; as she soared high above our country and foreign countries; and shared her feminine emotions when she was the only woman aboard ships. I'm happy to recommend Navy Greenshirt to anyone interesting in going step-by-step with Dianne, as she shows her transition from a young farm girl to a leader of distinction.

Mona Leeson Vanek
Freelance writer

Writing Consultant, Montana Arts Council
Writing instructor, "Access The World & Write Your Way To $$$