NORFOLK, Va. — High honors are coming later this week for a trail-blazing Naval officer from Norfolk.
Captain Janet Days, the commanding officer of Naval Station Norfolk, will soon be saluted, along with three other Virginia African American citizens, for their contributions to Virginia's history and culture.
Days is the first African American female commanding officer of the world's largest Naval base — Naval Station Norfolk — in the installation's 107-year history.
Days made history and assumed command a little more than a year ago, becoming the base's 51st commanding officer. In the role, she leads the 6,200-acre installation, which is home to 63 ships, 188 aircraft, and more than 67,000 personnel.
The prior-enlisted surface warfare officer has received numerous accolades in her career, with another one coming on Thursday.
Since 2013, the Library of Virginia and Dominion Energy have honored distinguished African American Virginians, past and present, as "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" for their important contributions to the state, the nation, or their professions.
Days will be one of four honorees — and the only one from Hampton Roads — inducted into the 2024 class in Richmond.
"If someone, if one young person can look at my history, what I've achieved in the Navy and motivates, inspires or challenges them to go forth and do something else, I'm all about it," she said.
Cherise Newsome, Dominion Energy Senior Communications Specialist, Media Relations, shared the importance of Days' hard work.
"[Days'] story and others need to be told because it shows what is possible with hard work. And Dominion wants to amplify that story, so we've partnered with the Library of Virginia to honor African American trailblazers," said Newsome.
Among the numerous individual awards Days has received is the Legion of Merit medal.
Days served as Commanding Officer of the USS McFaul. She has served on five Navy warships and completed multiple shore assignments, including a deployment to Afghanistan.
She's a 1999 graduate of Old Dominion University's Naval ROTC program.