SAN PEDRO, Calif. – August 2, 2024 – The National Museum of the Surface Navy (NMSN) has selected retired Navy Command Master Chief (CMDCM) Octavia D. Harris as the recipient of the 2024 Vice Admiral (VADM) Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., Leadership Award.
The award is given annually to a leader who exemplifies the courageous service of its namesake. The late VADM Samuel L. Gravely, Jr., is broadly recognized for his trailblazing achievements as the first African American naval officer to command a U.S. Navy warship and be promoted to flag rank.
Harris, who currently serves as the subcommittee lead for the Department of Defense Advisory Committee for Women in the Services, is receiving the prestigious award in recognition of her extraordinary accomplishments over her 30-year career in the U.S. Navy, as well as her leadership in military healthcare programs, women veteran organizations, and initiatives regarding women in the military.
“Vice Admiral Gravely was a great naval leader and to receive this prestigious award honoring his legacy and accomplishments is a privilege and the honor of a lifetime for me,” Harris stated. “I am, and always will be, a proud Surface Navy sailor and am truly grateful to be able to continue serving our nation’s military. I encourage today’s youth to consider an enlistment for the adventure, education, and unmatched life experience.”
The award will be presented to Harris during the NMSN’s Annual Freedom of the Seas Gala on Oct. 19, 2024, at the museum aboard the decommissioned Battleship USS IOWA (BB-61), which is moored in the Port of Los Angeles.
As the sub-committee chairperson for the Department of Defense Employment and Integration for the Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, Harris maintains responsibility for advising the secretary of defense, assessing military challenges and productivity by its members, participating in recruitment activities, and aiding women in the U.S. military in relation to their subspecialties in areas including special forces, combat, submarine navigation, and piloting.
During her 30-year career in the U.S. Navy, Harris served as the first female command master chief of USS Pinckney (DDG 91), and as the first African American and first female command master chief of the Space and Naval Warfare Dominance Command. Following her Navy career, Harris led the Comprehensive Advance Restorative Effort program (CARE) at the Navy Medical Center in San Diego, California, and has served on the Advisory Committee for Women and Children with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs as the chair of the Secretary’s Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. In addition to her support of The Enlisted Project, Harris served as one of three ambassadors for the Military Women’s Memorial Foundation, which recognizes women and their service beginning from the Revolutionary War.