Cindy Louise Jaynes (born 1959) is an American retired rear-admiral. An aeronautics maintenance specialist, she managed several programs relating to US Navy aircraft. Jaynes became the first female flag officer in

Naval Air Systems Command The Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) provides materiel support for aircraft and airborne weapon systems for the United States Navy. It is one of the Echelon II Navy systems commands (SYSCOM), and was established in 1966 as the successor to the ...

when she was promoted to rear-admiral on 1 August 2012. She retired from the US Navy on 1 May 2016.

Career

Cindy Jaynes grew up in

Greensburg, Pennsylvania Greensburg is a city in and the county seat of Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States, and a part of the Pittsburgh Metro Area. The city lies within the Laurel Highlands and the ecoregion of the Western Allegheny Plateau. The city is ...

and was awarded a bachelor of sciences degree in mathematics education in 1979 followed by a master's degree in mathematics in 1982 from the

Indiana University of Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania (IUP) is a public research university in Indiana County, Pennsylvania. As of fall 2021, the university enrolled 7,044 undergraduates and 1,865 postgraduates, for a total enrollment of 9,009 students. The uni ...

. Jaynes had considered a career as an actuary or a veterinarian but was persuaded by a high school friend to join the US Navy for four years whilst she considered her future. She attended the US Navy

Officer Candidate School An officer candidate school (OCS) is a military school which trains civilians and enlisted personnel in order for them to gain a commission as officers in the armed forces of a country. How OCS is run differs between countries and services. Typ ...

in Newport, Rhode Island and was commissioned in March 1983. She was assigned as an aeronautics maintenance officer in 1985. She served many operational tours within the United States and at

Diego Garcia Diego Garcia is an island of the British Indian Ocean Territory, a disputed overseas territory of the United Kingdom. It is a militarised atoll just south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean, and the largest of the 60 small islands ...

. Jaynes managed programs relating to the

Lockheed P-3 Orion The Lockheed P-3 Orion is a four-engined, turboprop anti-submarine and maritime surveillance aircraft developed for the United States Navy and introduced in the 1960s. Lockheed based it on the L-188 Electra commercial airliner.

degree from

Norwich University Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-cam ...

in 2008. Jaynes became assistant commander for logistics and industrial operations in NAVAIR in July 2011 and was commander of its fleet readiness centres from August 2012. She was promoted to the rank of rear admiral on 1 August 2012, becoming the first female flag officer in NAVAIR and the first female aerospace maintenance officer of that rank. Cindy Jaynes and Jon Davis

She later became executive officer of the air anti-submarine warfare, assault and special mission programs of the US Navy. She has received the

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

three times, the Meritorious Service Medal four times as well as the

Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fift ...

Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal The Achievement Medal is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. The Achievement Medal was first proposed as a means to recognize outstanding achievement or meritorious service of military personnel who were not eligible to rece ...

National Defense Service Medal The National Defense Service Medal (NDSM) is a service award of the United States Armed Forces established by President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1953. It is awarded to every member of the US Armed Forces who has served during any one of four ...

(with Service Star) and the

Global War on Terrorism Service Medal The Global War on Terrorism Service Medal (GWOT-SM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces which was created through Executive Order 13289 on 12 March 2003, by President George W. Bush. The medal recognizes those military servic ...

. Jaynes retired from the US Navy on 1 May 2016 after 33 years service.

References

External links

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jaynes, Cindy 1959 births Living people People from Greensburg, Pennsylvania Indiana University of Pennsylvania alumni Naval War College alumni California Institute of Technology alumni Norwich University alumni Female admirals of the United States Navy Recipients of the Legion of Merit 21st-century American women Military personnel from Pennsylvania