That same year, Congress approved a change to Title 10 USC Section 6015 to permit the Navy to assign women to fill sea duty billets on support and noncombatant ships.[3][38] 1979 Lieutenant Lynn Spruill became the first female Navy pilot qualified to land on aircraft carriers.[39] 1979 The first woman in the Navy to qualify as a Surface Warfare Officer did so this year.[40] 1980 The first women graduated from the Naval Academy.