NAVY SEABEE
1976 - 2000

Constructionman Master Chief Wisted was born 07 January 1956 in Fargo, North Dakota and spent more of her childhood growing up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. She graduated from John F. Kennedy High School in June of 1975 an after a brief introduction to college life, joined the Navy on 23 September 1976. Her basic training was in Orlando, Florida.

Her first tour of duty was in the Carpenter’s Shop, Public Works Department, Adak, Alaska and from there she went on to complete a twelve month tour at the Naval Facility, Guam. In July 1979, she reported to CBC Port Hueneme, California where she completed a fifteen month tour with Special Services Department, running the Wood Hobby Shop. She applied for and received a “Swap” and transferred to Construction Battalion Unit 416, NAS Alemeda, CA in October of 1980, where she worked on numerous projects as a crew member and crew leader.

February of 1982 she received orders to the Publics Works Department, NAVSTA, Rota, Spain, where she completed a three year tour in the following assignments; Inspector for the PWD Housing Division, Project Supervisor for the Self-Help Division, and Quality Assurance Evaluator for the PWD Services Contracts Division. In May of 1985 she reported to Construction Battalion Unit 409, NAVSTA, Long Beach, CA for a three year tour as the Unit’s Operation Chief. While in Long Beach, she received her Associates Degree in General Studies. Then in August of 1988 she transferred to Naval Support Unit, State Department, Washington, D.C. She spent her first two years with State Department in the “TDY pool” deploying as the CPOIC of Seabee teams to the U.S. Embassy in Moscow, U.S.S.R., Budapest, Hungary, Monrovia, Liberia, and Montreal, Canada.

She then was selected to be the Resident Seabee in Canberra, Australia, where she served two years; taking care of the U.S. Embassies and consulates in Australia, New Zealand and the south pacific islands.

From October 1992 to August 1994, she was assigned to Construction Battalion Unit 416, NAS, Alameda, California, where she served as the assistant Officer in Charge. In April 1994, Congress changed the laws and allowed women to serve in combatant units. So after serving only 20 months at CBU 416, she reported to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion FORTY (NMCB 40), home ported in Port Hueneme, California, in August 1994. She was the first and only female in the Naval Construction Force to serve as a Battalion Operations Chief (S3C), and the only Seabee, male or female to serve as Operations Chief her entire Battalion tour. She completed two deployments with NMCB 40. During their European Deployment the battalion received an executive order to deploy to Bosnia and Herzegovina. She was sent into Bosnia ahead of the Battalion to shape the Seabee’s mission, reporting directly to the Army’s 1st Armored Division, 1st Brigade Combat Team’s Engineer. In May 1997 she reported to Naval Construction Battalion Unit 412, Submarine Base, Kings Bay, Georgia as the Assistant Officer in Charge and Senior Enlisted Advisor.

Constructionman Master Chief Wisted’s awards include the Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist, Navy Commendation Medal (two awards), Army Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal (four awards), Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation Medal, Battle “E” Award, Good Conduct Medal (six awards), National Defense, Southwest Asia Service Medal, Armed Forces Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (two awards), Over Sea Service Ribbon (seven awards), Outstanding Volunteer Service Medal, NATO Medal, Rifle Marksman Ribbon and Pistol; Sharpshooter Ribbon.

Honored by: Sharon Wisted