Commander Hankey

On October 15 Joan was selected to be promoted to Commander.

In 1975, it was decided that PAMIPAC and the Personnel Accounting Machine Installation of the Atlantic Fleet would be moved to New Orleans because Louisiana Congressman Edward Hebert, was Head of the Armed Services Committee and he made it a practice of getting millions of dollars worth of earmarks for his district. It was a massive project to merge the systems and move everything to New Orleans.

The Navy Times had a feature called Skippers in the Spotlight by Marlo DelMarco. One issue featured Joan as Commanding Officer of PAMIPAC with the black ink drawing of Joan in uniform and a history of her life to that point in 1975 including the transfer to New Orleans.

Just before she was transferred, RADM Thomas Hughes presented Joan with the Navy Commendation Medal. Hughes was one of the only male officers to act as a mentor to Joan. She had tremendous respect for him.

"For meritorious service as Commanding Officer, Personnel Accounting Machine Installation (PAMI), U.S. Pacific Fleet from September 1974 through February 1975. Commander Hankey's exceptional leadership and professional knowledge were responsible for the successful transfer of the Manpower and Personnel Management Information Systems field automatic data processing (ADP) accounting from PAMILANT, Norfold to PAMIPAC, San Diego during the month of December 1974, without the loss of any vital services. The transfer of accounts resulted in more than a 130% increase in transaction processing at PAMIPAC, and the simultaneous implementation of two new sophisticated ADP Systems, the Fleet Standard Requisition System and the PAMIPAC Online Inquiry System. These achievements were accomplished by Commander Hankey's high degree of ADP technical expertise, timing, and management ability and with a minimum increase in resources. As a direct result of these new ADP systems, many flat-paper reports were cancelled, and for the first time manning control aothorities had available online computer files for greatly improved information availability and retrieval. Commander Hankey's untiring efforts to carry out these difficult tasks with mature judgment, effectiveness, and total devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Joan was stationed in New Orleans for three years. Her next assignment was the Naval Data Automation Command (NAVDAC) in Washington DC.