|
Latina Letters
From the Front!
It is an
empowering
feeling to be
charged with the
safety of a Navy
Warship and its
entire crew by
the Captain of
that ship. When
he has such full
trust and deep
faith that I, as
Officer of the
Deck, can carry
out his orders
and handle any
situation so
that he can
sleep soundly at
night, I realize
the necessity of
being an
excellent leader
and an excellent
Naval Officer.
Being Officer of
the Deck during
the “rev” watch
(2 a.m. to 7
a.m.) or the
“mid” watch (10
p.m. to 2 a.m.),
allows much time
for reflection
under the clear
night sky lit
with stars, or
during a
magnificent
sunrise unique
to the far
reaches of the
sea. During the
many instances I
stood those
quiet watches on
our deployment
to the Arabian
Gulf in 2007-08,
I have been able
to analyze the
inimitable
experiences I
have been
afforded as a
young Naval
Officer.
I have traveled
around the world
with the Navy. I
went to Guam,
Saipan, Bahrain,
Singapore, and
Thailand during
a Western
Pacific
deployment with
my current
command. I have
participated in
amphibious
assaults, flight
operations, ship-handling
tactical
exercises, and
numerous other
naval operations.
I have fired
weapons and
practiced hand
to hand combat.
I have met the
President of the
United States
and the First
Lady on several
occasions, the
Secretary of
Defense, and the
Chief of Naval
Operations. |
|
 |
 |
|
LTJG Parra-Orlandoni
with BM2 Rushin
after his
reenlistment |
|
I
have been on national
television, including
when I sang the National
Anthem at the Super Bowl
in uniform with select
members from each of the
service academy’s glee
clubs. I was granted a
scholarship by the
Office of Naval Research
to get my Masters in
Oceanographic
Engineering through the
MIT and Woods Hole
Oceanographic Institute
Joint Program, where I
was also a kick boxing
instructor.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Kick
boxing
class
during
WESTPAC
2007-08 |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
LTJG
Parra-Orlandoni
reenlisting
BM3
Holter. |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Navy
students
in the
MIT-WHOI
Joint
Masters
Program
for
Oceanographic
Engineering |
|
I
am currently the
Germantown’s Assistant
First Lieutenant in Deck
Department, Legal
Officer, Assistant
Safety Officer, and
Athletic Officer. I lead
over 70 sailors to
continually strive to
reach their potential as
leaders, handle a myriad
of legal issues ranging
from drug use to sexual
harassment cases, am
responsible for ensuring
that Germantown meets
all Safety Program
requirements. I
implemented a Martial
Arts program to increase
physical readiness and
self-confidence; and I
led The Biggest Loser
Competition, educating
its participants about
self-motivating for
healthy weight loss and
leading a healthy
lifestyle.
Despite this exciting,
yet still incomplete,
resume of all the
amazing experiences the
Navy has brought to my
life, there is one
overwhelmingly
satisfying aspect of
being a Naval Officer:
It is the interaction
with all the remarkable
people that serve in the
military. The
camaraderie built by
working diligently with
my fellow service
members is unparalleled.
The friendships I have
developed run deep with
mutual respect for what
we do on a daily basis.
I have found mentors to
guide me in developing
both as an officer and
as an individual, and I,
in turn, have become a
mentor for both peers
and subordinates alike.
|
I especially enjoy
encouraging the Latinas
I come in contact with
not to ever feel limited
by challenges due to
their gender or
background, whether
those challenges are
overt or social
subtleties. It is
infinitely rewarding to
know that I, as a female,
Hispanic officer, am
able to empower an
individual who works
with me or for me to
make himself or herself
better and to aspire to
reach his or her goals.
Such a privilege and
responsibility pushes me
to continue to develop
as a Naval Officer and
as an individual that
represents the
incredibly rich Latina
community.
By
LTJG USN, Maria A.
Parra-Orlandoni
USS GERMANTOWN (LSD-42)
Assistant First
Lieutenant, Deck
Department |
