Jeanine McIntosh Menze is a United States Coast Guard officer. She holds the distinction of becoming the first black female in the U.S. Coast Guard to earn the Coast Guard Aviation designation.[1]

Jeanine McIntosh-Menze
Coast Guard LCDR Jeanine McIntosh (Lt. JG at the time of the photo)
BornKingston, Jamaica
Years of service2003 - present
RankCommander

At the time of her graduation, she was the first black female aviator in the history of the U.S. Coast Guard.[1]

Early life and education

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McIntosh was born in Kingston, Jamaica.[2] After graduating from Florida International University in 2001, she decided to pursue her dream of flying, taking flying lessons at North Perry Airport in Pembroke Pines (Broward County, Florida).[2]

Menzie attended Vaz Preparatory School in Kingston, Jamaica.[2] Her family moved to Canada before relocating to South Florida, where she graduated from Miami Killian High School in May 1997 and Florida International University in May 2001 with an international business degree.[2] She also served as a flight instructor at Opa-locka Airport in Opa-locka, Florida.[2]

Career

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Menze joined the U.S. Coast Guard in 2003 after graduation from the Coast Guard Officer Candidate School.

She began Coast Guard aviation training at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi, Texas in January 2005. She earned her aviator wings on June 24, 2005 and was assigned to fly HC-130 Hercules aircraft out of Air Station Barbers Point, Hawaii.[1]

After graduation she served as a pilot of the HC-130 Hercules airplanes and flew rescue missions for the U.S. Coast Guard in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina.

As of 2020, Menze holds the rank of Commander.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jeanine McIntosh-Menze, USCG". Black Coast Guard Personnel (www.uscg.mil). Retrieved 20 January 2009.
  2. ^ a b c d e "Jamaican First Black Female Aviator in U.S. Coast Guard". Jamaica Information Service. 29 June 2005. Archived from the original on 12 June 2011. Retrieved 20 January 2009.
  3. ^ Lagan, Christopher (23 April 2010). "Guardian of the Week: LTjg La'Shanda Holmes". United States Coast Guard. Retrieved 2 May 2010. Lt. Jeanine Menze, the first African American female aviator in U.S. Coast Guard history pins a set of aviator wings on Lt. j.g. La'Shanda Holmes
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