Melanie Collins

Former navy lieutenant, served at sea on USS Point Loma 1981-1984. Assigned as: E-Division Officer, Communications Officer, Operations Officer, and Admin Officer. Assigned two prior tours ashore: 1) telecommunications division officer, and 2) Navy Reserve Intelligence Program, Assistant Program Manager. Following sea duty, assigned to joint service command as Branch Chief for telecommunications government contracting. Commissioned ensign from Officer Candidate School. Graduated from Surface Warfare Officer school.

After leaving the navy in 1987, achieved an M.S. degree in civil engineering and registration in California, worked in the water resources field performing groundwater studies and water rights investigations, and in the transportation field as project engineer in highway design and project development.

Published article about gender integration in the navy in the 1980s, which appeared in Military Magazine in 1998. Created a website for the USS Point Loma in 2000. Created blog "Uncle Sam's Finest: Observations of a Navy Veteran" in 2013 to continue writing about navy experiences, with commentary about current events relating to the navy.

private pilot (1980), flew Cessna aircraft, registered civil engineer, scuba diver, shipdriver, writer, horseback riding (dressage)