BREMERTON, Wash. (NNS) — The Navy remembered the fleet’s first female aircraft handling officer during a ceremony in Bremerton, Wash., Jan. 27.

More than 2,000 family members, friends, and shipmates assembled aboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) to pay respect to Lt. Cmdr. Regina Mills who was struck and killed by a vehicle when she stopped to assist others involved in a traffic collision in Gig Harbor, Wash., Jan. 23.

“Regina was a great leader and officer,” said Capt. Paul O. Monger, USS Nimitz commanding officer. “She was a leader and mentor, not only to the Sailors and officers in the Air department, but throughout the ship. It would be difficult to find anyone aboard Nimitz whose life or career here wasn’t positively influenced by her.

“Tasked with ensuring optimum safety on board an aircraft carrier, an inherently dangerous environment, she died as a result of trying to assist a person faced with potential danger. Our thoughts and prayers are with her family. Regina will be sorely missed,” said Monger.

During the ceremony, family members and close friends shared memories and impressions Mills left with them.

“Personally, she taught me to put the needs of others before that of your own,” said Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Mills, Mills’ husband. “She lived by that motto. She died by that motto.”

“Life is not measured by how many years you live, it’s how you live the years you have,” said Cmdr. Lisa Ketterman. “And she made it count every day.”

The Louisville, Ky., native enlisted in the Navy in 1986. After graduating recruit training command in Orlando, Fla., Mills was assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 41 (HSM 41) aboard Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

In January 1990, she reported to U.S. Naval Support Force Antarctica where she deployed with Operation Deep Freeze. Her next duty station was Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash., from July 1993 to February 1998.

Mills then went to serve as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class aboard Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). She was one of the first female Aviation Boatswain’s Mates to work on an operational flight deck. During her tour aboard Lincoln, she earned a commission as a naval officer through the Limited Duty Officer (LDO) program.

Mills became the Navy’s first female Aviation Deck LDO July 1, 2000. She was assigned as the Air Bos’n on board USS Tarawa (LHD 1) in San Diego, Calif., from August 2000, to November 2002. Her next tour was with Expeditionary Strike Group 3 from November 2002, to December 2004.

In December 2004, Mills was transferred aboard Nimitz as the flight deck officer where she completed two deployments in support of Operations Iraqi and Enduring Freedom. From December 2007 to December 2009 she served with Afloat Training Group Pacific in San Diego, to provide afloat training to the Navy and U.S. Coast Guard.

Mills reported for her second tour aboard Nimitz in December 2009, to serve as the Navy’s first female aircraft handling officer.