'She didn't say no': Rep. Elaine Luria speaks at prayer breakfast

U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria spoke about the many women who paved the way to success for her and future generations of women at the 30th annual Eastern Shore Christian Businessmen’s Association Prayer Breakfast on Wednesday in Accomac.

Luria (Va.-02) directed her remarks in particular to students from area high schools who were among attendees at the breakfast.

“George (Bryan) in his introduction said, ‘Elaine was one of the first in many things' — but I was only successful in being the first in some of the things I did because many women before me did pave that path to give me that opportunity,” said Luria, a Navy veteran who served on six different combat ships and was deployed six times to the Middle East and Western Pacific, ending her career as commander of a combat unit of 400 sailors based at Little Creek.

Bryan is vice-president of the Eastern Shore Christian Businessmen’s Association.

Luria graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1997 as one of about 115 women in the class; the first women were admitted to the academy in 1976.

“If you look at the service academies today, they are about 30% women,” she said, adding, “That number continues to grow; career fields in the military continue to open up to women.”

 Luria spoke about a conversation she had with her mother as a high school student, after Luria had told her she wanted to apply to the Naval Academy.

“She said, ‘How are you going to go to the Naval Academy and be in the Navy if you ever want to get married and have a family?’ ” Luria recounted, adding she told her mother she would “figure it out.”

“She didn’t say no, don’t do it … don’t try something that is unusual or not something typical, ” Luria said, adding the students and parents in the audience likely will be having similar conversations over the summer.

Luria had another, similar conversation 20-some years later, when after a successful Navy career and becoming a business owner in Virginia Beach, she spoke with her mother about her decision to run for Congress.

“She didn’t say no, but she provided equal words of caution” about making time for family, Luria said, adding that the family has had to “make choices as a family” in order for her to pursue elected office.

“It’s not really about a career for me; it’s about serving our community,” she said.

“The fact that she didn’t say no and that she gave those words of caution that mothers do were very important to me,” Luria said of her mother.

Garnett Kellam, president of the Eastern Shore Christian Businessmen’s Association, presided over the prayer breakfast.

Luria also met with Onancock officials on Wednesday.

Luria represents Virginia’s 2nd Congressional District. She serves on the House Armed Services Committee, where she is the vice chair of the Seapower and Projection Forces Subcommittee, and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, where she serves as chair of the Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs Subcommittee.

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