Kathlene Contres was born in Pennsylvania and attended Slippery Rock University, graduating in 1977. Three years later, she joined the Navy, moving to Newport, Rhode Island, to attend Officer Candidate School. After graduating, she was stationed in the Navy Audio Visual Center at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington, D.C.
After her first assignment in D.C., Contres deployed to Guam to serve as a nuclear safety officer monitoring weapons movement between the Guam base, ships and submarines. She also served in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, advising leaders on Navy retention. Later, she completed tours in California, serving at the San Diego Training Command and the Long Beach Personnel Support Detachment, before enrolling at San Diego State University to earn a master’s degree.
Contres would return to Washington, D.C., to work in the Navy training directorate before moving to New York, where she oversaw enlistment.
After her service in New York, Contres served in a number of roles encouraging diversity in the Navy. In Memphis, Tennessee, she was responsible for advancing diversity in recruitment. Next, she served as commandant of the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute (DEOMI), helping promote inclusivity. Simultaneously, she served as president of the Association of Naval Services Officers, which seeks to advance Latino engagement across “sea services.”
Contres retired after completing her role at DEOMI, capping a 30-year service career. Nonetheless, she continued serving her country as a private citizen, working in Florida at the Military Women’s Memorial.
We honor her service.
Nominate a Veteran
Do you want to light up the face of a special Veteran? Have you been wondering how to tell your Veteran they are special to you? VA’s “Honoring Veterans” social media spotlight is an opportunity to highlight your Veteran and his/her service.
It’s easy to nominate a Veteran. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission
Writer: Khaled Maalouf
Editors: Mary Margaret Brennan, Ashley Shaut
Researchers: John Bergstrom
Graphic Designer: Kiki Kelley
Topics in this story
Link Disclaimer
This page includes links to other websites outside our control and jurisdiction. VA is not responsible for the privacy practices or the content of non-VA Web sites. We encourage you to review the privacy policy or terms and conditions of those sites to fully understand what information is collected and how it is used.
More Stories
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Coast Guard Veteran Alan Spielman, who served in Alaska.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Air Force Veteran Jan Klebukowski, who served in the United States, United Kingdom and South Korea.
This week’s Honoring Veterans Spotlight honors the service of Navy Veteran James McDonald, who served as a Chief Metalsmith during his service.
I`ve only known Kathy for a few years, as we both are residing in the same area. She is one of the most honest and sincere people I have ever known, I respect and thank her for her service. Thank you for the article.
to my fellow hispanic vet i salute you!