Aye, Aye, Ma'am

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Some of the skepticism originates right on board the Jarrett. "I've never worked for a woman before, so I'm not really sure what to expect in combat," says Personnelman First Class Arnell Ramos. "Being a majority-male organization," he says, "most of us would prefer to take orders from a male officer."

But as McGrath has proved herself, most of the doubters have come around. McGrath's crew seems generally impressed with her. "She's not in command because she's a woman," says her second-in-command, Lieut. Commander Joseph Chiaravallotti. "She's in command because she's better than everyone else who's not in command."