#PeopleOfPrecise: Meet Shelly Henderson

For Shelly, a desire to challenge herself and pursue a life of purpose led to a remarkable 20-year career in the United States Marine Corps—and continues today through her work supporting warfighters and allied partners at Precise Systems.

Growing up in a small town in northern Idaho, she knew she wanted to pursue opportunities beyond what was familiar. Motivated by the Marine Corps’ values of selflessness, discipline, teamwork, and mission accomplishment, she made the decision to serve.

That decision would ultimately shape the course of her life.

During her military career, Shelly became the first—and currently the only—woman to qualify and serve as a KC-130F/R&T Flight Engineer in the Marine Corps. The experience taught her invaluable lessons about resilience, accountability, and leadership.

“People are counting on you to do your job right every time because mistakes don’t just affect you—they affect the entire team and the success of the mission,” she said.

Today, she brings that same commitment to excellence to her role as Technical Document Sanitization Lead supporting PMA-231 Foreign Military Sales customers.

In her position, she manages and maintains E-2C and E-2D aircraft technical documentation for partner nations including Japan, France, Taiwan, and Egypt. By reviewing, updating, validating, and tailoring maintenance manuals, she helps ensure aircraft maintainers have the accurate technical data they need to safely operate and sustain mission-critical platforms.

Her work directly contributes to operational readiness across the globe.

“When maintainers have clear, current, and accurate publications, they can keep aircraft safe, available, and effective,” she explained. “That readiness ultimately enables warfighters and coalition partners to execute their missions with confidence.”

As we recognize Women Veterans Day, Shelly reflects on the significance of the occasion.

She hopes future generations of women see limitless opportunities to serve and lead.

Her advice for women considering military service or careers supporting the nation’s defense is to believe in themselves, remain resilient, and focus on excellence.

“You may be the only woman in the room—or on the flight line—but you absolutely belong there. Focus on being prepared, technically competent, and professional. Let your performance speak for you.”

We’re honored to have Shelly on our Precise Team and grateful for her continued dedication to supporting those who serve.

Thank you for your service, leadership, and commitment to the mission.