Photo By Jack Adamyk | Official U.S.M.C photo. Lance Corporal Noah Avila takes Marine of the Quarter honors...... read more read more
Lance Corporal Noah Avila has a habit of being the best, as demonstrated by his capturing Marine of the Year for 2019 followed by his most recent recognition as Marine of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2020.
Avila was chosen from a field of stellar Marines as best typifying the ideals and spirit of the Corps by the selection board at Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow, California, April 3.
The S-6 Communications Department data systems administrator arrived at MCLB Barstow in May 2019 after attending Military Occupational Specialty training at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center, 29 Palms, California.
The choice of his MOS was a natural for Avila.
“I had designed websites for charitable organizations starting in 8th grade, especially for Massachusetts Project 351,” he explained. “I’ve been with them ever since. I’m also on their Leadership Team. They do a lot of work with young people, teaching them the principles of leadership.”
Avila’s volunteer work extends to his active duty life as well.
“I also work with charities in Barstow helping to feed the homeless,” he said. “I’m the president of the Single Marine Program at MCLB, which gives me the opportunity to plan trips for my fellow Marines to places they might not otherwise go.”
Avila was raised in Dighton, Mass., where he graduated from high school and applied for college.
“Then I decided I wanted to join the Marines,” he said. “They are the best, and I wanted to be with the best.”
The choice concerned his father, whom as a naturalized American originally from Portugal, placed a high value on education, and wanted the oldest of his three sons to go to college.
“Then a Marine recruiter explained the educational benefits they had to offer, and my dad came around. My mother had always backed my choices,” Avila said.
He attended boot camp at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, N.C. after joining the Corps in August 2018.
“Boot camp was fun in a unique way,” Avila said. “I was already in pretty good shape, so I wasn’t worried that much. But the idea is to tear you down and build you back up the way the Marine Corps want you to be.”
When he received orders to MCLBB he asked around and found that even many senior Marines didn’t even know there was a Marine base in Barstow.
“Those Marines who did know about the base told me it was in the middle of nowhere and there wasn’t much here,” Avila said. “But I’ve found there’s a lot of opportunities here. Everything’s available; skiing, surfing, Las Vegas. All it takes is a few of hours of driving.”
Master Sergeant Tiana Tien, Communications Chief, now retired, submitted Avila for Marine of the Quarter consideration as well as his 2019 Marine of the Year honors.
“Lance Corporal Avila is an extremely capable Marine and will get any task he’s assigned accomplished quickly and done well,” Tien said.
As with the rest of America and the world, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused civilians and Marines aboard the base to do their jobs a little more creatively because of social distancing restrictions put in place to slow the spread of the Coronavirus.
“I work the help desk at Communications, so I do a lot of my work over the phone and through remotely taking control of a customer’s computer to fix any issues rather than going to the customer. The Communications Department is doing excellent work to keep the data systems running, which helps MCLB to maintain its mission,” Avila said.He’s also a big supporter of finding out what a person can do if they put their mind to it.
“I would definitely encourage someone to join the military if they’re considering it,” Avila said. “It doesn’t have to be the Marine Corps. You need to push yourself to find out what you can do, even if you don’t think you can.”
He said the Marines and civilians you work with are extremely important and that relationship needs to be cultivated.
“Don’t underestimate the value of your people, they’re the most valuable assets the base has and need to be treated with respect. That way you’ll get the best from them and make your job more rewarding,” Avila concluded.
| Date Taken: | 04.09.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2020 14:35 |
| Story ID: | 367858 |
| Location: | MARINE CORPS LOGISTICS BASE BARSTOW, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Hometown: | DIGHTON, MASSACHUSETTS, US |
| Web Views: | 895 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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