Photo By Patrick Ferraris | Petty Officer 2nd Class Nervalis Medina-Echevarria, an electronic technician onboard...... read more read more
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March is Women’s History Month. This observance stands as a reminder of the strength that the Coast Guard has gained through the contributions and efforts of our female members who serve as part of an exceptional and diverse workforce. This series of interviews highlights just a few of the remarkable women in the Coast Guard and the stories behind their service.
Name: ET2 Nervalis Medina-Echevarria
Duty Title: Electronics Technician
Duty Location: Coast Guard Cutter WAESCHE, homeported in Alameda, CA.
What inspired you to join the Coast Guard?
I’ve always been motivated by service to others and the Coast Guard helps me do this. Along with this, my background in biology drove me towards the Coast Guard. Not only because of their science related jobs but also because my interests lie in keeping the oceans safe and protecting our environment.
What is meaningful to you about currently serving in the Coast Guard?
Being able to prove what women are capable of in the Coast Guard is what’s special to me. As a woman working in a field that is mostly male-dominant, I want to serve as an example to current and future women in the Service and hope they feel inspired to go after those hard qualifications or billets.
Has joining the Coast Guard helped shape your identity as a person?
Five years of service now and the Coast Guard has positively affected mostly every aspect of my life. The Coast Guard has helped me grow personally and professionally and because of this, I know I’m so much stronger, resilient, adaptable and capable than ever. I’ve been part of missions and completed duties that I would have never imagined myself doing.
What does the phrase “Stronger Together” mean to you?
We should always strive to be leaders, but we should also recognize when it’s time to be followers. By recognizing our strengths and weaknesses, we are able to become strong team players who look out for each other and lift up our shipmates. I learned that this is an important and imperative dynamic to ensure success, and for me, the fabric of “Stronger Together.” We take care of each other, we train hard, and we accomplish the mission. Each one of us no matter who we are or where we come from, linked together, makes for a stronger service.
Do you have a mentor that has inspired you or impacted your Service?
My mentorship has mostly come from the amazing women that I have met throughout my service. On Coast Guard Cutter Waesche, there is a large presence of strong females that I’m able to learn from like SKC Heather Coulter who was one of the first active-duty women in the Coast Guard to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. My current CSO Lt. Jalle Merritt has offered me incredible support and keeps pushing my career forward. My best shipmate and friend EM2 Simone Colas from the engineer division also acts as an amazing teacher and mentor to me.
One experience that is special to me is when I went to Travis AFB to attend leadership school. There, I had the chance to meet 1st Lt. Chelsey Hibsch who was the first female airman to graduate from Army Ranger School. Listening to her story and two amazing Air Force Security Force females from my class inspired me to become Coast Guard pistol and rifle qualified.
All of these women, in small ways, big ways, direct or indirect, have all inspired me and shaped my career. I can say with confidence that they have made a huge impact on my career.
The Coast Guard has a history of strong female members. How have those members helped pave a path for you in the Coast Guard?
For generations, women have been shifting the paradigm throughout the military. Because of these women, so many opportunities are available to us and we hold all sorts of positions, ranks, rates, and more. This gets other women thinking “if they can do it, so can I.”
For myself, I’m proud to say that I get the opportunity to serve in one the Coast Guard’s most dynamic operating areas as part of Patrol Forces Southwest Asia this summer pending the successful completion of my Pre-deployment training in May. Because of the strong women of the Coast Guard before me, this opportunity is made available and I am so thankful to them.
What excites you about the future for women in the Coast Guard?
I’m excited to see more women of the Coast Guard rise through the ranks and serve in senior leadership positions. I also look forward to women, who like me, find inspiration and courage in each other as they overcome any challenges they may face.
| Date Taken: | 03.22.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.22.2021 13:43 |
| Story ID: | 391975 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 321 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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