Feb 26, 2026 · 1 hr 24 min · 17 segments
In this episode, Robert “Bob” Pizzini is joined by Alexandra (“Big Perm”) Mensing, U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot. Alexandra recounts growing up in Raleigh, the influence of sports and coaching…
You know, we have... women in eod uh we're really the only special operating force that that that has women now we have we don't have high numbers of women we have very low numbers of women because they still have to go through they got to meet all the pt standards they have to go through all the all the same things that everybody else goes through there's no there's no separation there's no woman standard and men's standard in navy special operations And I'm sure it's the same in naval aviation, but can you just tell us a little bit about what it's like to be a woman in not only naval aviation, but in this forward deployed combat role where you're putting rounds on target?
I mean, it's just a fact, like what you said, the standards are the same.
But if there is a situation where there is more required and she or he can't make that standard, then they just can't fill the role.
Um, and there's, yeah, the standard is the same and I've always really appreciated that.
I mean, it's definitely its own challenge just being one or two in a squadron.
Well, there were, so there were three female F-18 pilots and then four NFOs.
You know, we have... women in eod uh we're really the only special operating force that that that has women now we have we don't have high numbers of women we have very low numbers of women because they still have to go through they got to meet all the pt standards they have to go through all the all the same things that everybody else goes through there's no there's no separation there's no woman standard and men's standard in navy special operations And I'm sure it's the same in naval aviation, but can you just tell us a little bit about what it's like to be a woman in not only naval aviation, but in this forward deployed combat role where you're putting rounds on target?
I mean, it's just a fact, like what you said, the standards are the same.
But if there is a situation where there is more required and she or he can't make that standard, then they just can't fill the role.
Um, and there's, yeah, the standard is the same and I've always really appreciated that.
I mean, it's definitely its own challenge just being one or two in a squadron.
Well, there were, so there were three female F-18 pilots and then four NFOs.
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