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Facebook Twitter WhatsApp SMS Email Print Copy article link Save This article is brought to you by Hancock Whitney. Out of all of the places United States Navy Capt. Lena Kaman has traveled during her nearly 25-year career, New Orleans will always be at the top of her list of her favorite destinations.
“The people of Louisiana and the New Orleans region are so amazing,” she said. “The Navy has such strong ties and collaborations with the folks there, from the sheriff’s department to the fire department to the schools. Everyone comes together, helps each other and supports each other.
It’s a really special environment and a special place to live and work.” Capt. Kaman was the first woman to serve as the Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base New Orleans, a military installation in Belle Chasse that hosts 9,000 service members, civilians and family.
Recently, Capt. Kaman moved to Fort Worth, Texas to serve as CO of a Navy installation there. However, her fondness for New Orleans remains strong.
“Some of my best memories are of my time there and how everyone celebrates the wonderful culture,” she said. “I loved that we would do our own Mardi Gras parade on the base. Every command can march or have a float.
We usually have a theme. Each command comes up with their own costumes and throws. It’s so much fun.
I just love engaging with so many people.” Capt. Kaman is a Wisconsin native who grew up hearing her father, a Navy veteran, discuss his time in the service while sharing artifacts he collected and awards he earned.
Despite her admiration for his career, Capt. Kaman didn’t originally consider the military for herself and was instead focused on pursuing a career in medicine. But, fate had a way of intervening.
Capt. Kaman’s mother gave her some paperwork for a Navy scholarship as she prepared to enroll in college. Soon after, she was joining the Navy ROTC at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, majoring in French and pursuing flight school.
She eventually switched gears to become a Navy pilot and was commissioned in 2000 and officially earned her wings as a helicopter pilot in 2002. Capt. Kaman’s initial tour as a Navy pilot was from 2002 to 2005, when she flew during missions off the coast of Iraq.
“We were doing things that my family and friends back home were seeing on the news,” she said. “I found it very rewarding to be serving my country at such a pivotal time. I didn’t really understand the full strategic picture of what we were doing because our focus was on the day-to-day missions at a tactical level, but I knew that our work was really important.
” Later in her career, Capt. Kaman served in South America during allied-building missions during peacetime. As a helicopter pilot, she has flown more than 4,000 total hours in times of both war and peace.
She has also worked extensively in Washington D.C., alongside Navy officials to assist in shaping personnel advancements and helping members of Congress prepare policies and bills to support veterans.
Capt. Kaman said her most rewarding work has been serving as a helicopter instructor pilot, which she describes as her true passion. “I love to mentor that next generation,” she said.
“If mentorship and training is not an explicit part of my command, I make it part of my own personal mission. At a certain point, my time in the Navy will be done. I want to be sure the next generation is ready to step up.
” Capt. Kaman said her strong desire to serve as a mentor stems from guidance she received early in her career. She attended a leadership conference for women serving in the Navy, which was her first time meeting servicewomen who were military leaders, while also being wives and mothers.
“When I was a flight student, my first squadron had two female instructors. My second squadron had one. I was one of a handful of female students,” she said.
“On ships, I was usually only one of two female helicopter pilots. When I became an instructor, I was the only female in that role at the time. It wasn’t until I met other women at that conference that I realized what was possible and the importance of making connections.
” Capt. Kaman took many of those women up on their offers to stay in touch, often reaching out to them with questions about her career or advice when she faced challenges. Today, Capt.
Kaman is dedicated to paying that forward. “I tell women to keep their options open and try to take advantage of any opportunity that comes their way,” she said. “The more you do, the more knowledge you will gain and the more people you will meet.
I also tell them that your team will be better if you collaborate and share lessons. There’s always so much competition in the military and everyone wants to be number one. It’s great to be proud of yourself, but it’s also important to know that we can be more successful as a unit if we share our knowledge and skills.
” In Fort Worth, Capt. Kaman is responsible for 18 Navy Reserve centers across seven states, including about 7,300 personnel. Her main duty is to ensure those forces are ready to mobilize when the nation calls.
She balances that with being a wife to her husband Christian, a software developer and data analyst, and a mom to the four-year-old “Twin Tornadoes”, Jean-Paul and Theodore. Capt. Kaman admitted it can be a challenge to be present both at work and at home, but she is thankful for an understanding family and a strong support system that helps her continue to achieve all of her dreams.
“I don’t always feel like I’m being successful every day, but then I remember that I have everything I could ever want,” she said. “I’ve learned that I can’t always say yes to everything and that I can rely on a team when I need to. I just try to give myself grace in everything that I do.
” The “She Is” campaign is a partnership between Hancock Whitney and Georges Media Group to curate and share stories about women who are thriving – what motivates them, how they motivate others and how women can continue to drive impact. Visit www.hancockwhitney.
com/she-is for more details on Hancock Whitney’s ongoing work with female leaders and to share your own favorite “She Is” story. Hancock Whitney Bank, Member FDIC.
