Photo By Joseph Siemandel | Chief Warrant Officer 5 Valerie Mariano celebrates after officially retiring from the...... read more read more
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After more than four decades in uniform, Valerie Mariano is leaving a legacy of leadership and mentorship that will help carry future generations of Washington Army National Guard logisticians.
“Chief Mariano served more than 44 years in uniform, that is two full careers, spending the first 23 years enlisted and the next 21 years as a warrant officer,” said Col. Jack Mushallo, commander of 96th Troop Command and the former director of the Washington Army National Guard Logistics office.
At 17-years-old, Mariano enlisted in the Hawaii Army National Guard on January 29, 1979, as a unit supply specialist. After completing her first contract with the Hawaii Guard, she moved to the active Army, serving four years in Korea before coming to Fort Lewis. She joined the Washington Army National Guard in January 1990 as a traditional Guardsman before transitioning to full-time in 1993. Rising to the rank of Master Sgt. and reaching the 20-year mark in her career, Mariano could have retired from service. However, in 2002, she decided to challenge herself. She joined the Warrant Officer Candidate School and started the second half of her career as a Chief Warrant officer, becoming a property accounting technician with 181st Brigade Support Battalion.
“I remember as the 81st Brigade was getting ready to go to war, we are going through all our equipment and realizing we don’t have everything we needed,” said Lt. Col (Ret.) Pete Hudspeth, former director of the Washington Army National Guard Logistics office. “I came to Chief Mariano, and with the smile and Hawaiian carefree spirit she just looked at me and said, ‘sir we got this, it is all going to be ok.’”
Mariano’s professionalism, attitude and leadership not only made the 81st Brigade Combat Team’s deployment in 2004 a success, she also helped ensure the 81st’s second deployment in 2009 was a success as well.
“No one will be able to replace a Val Mariano,” Hudspeth said. “How do you replace 44 years of service? You just can’t.”
During her long and storied career, Mariano always ensured that she stayed humble, teaching others around her and building a strong team.
“There are generations of logisticians that are here and have long since retired that owe so much to Val and her leadership,” said Hudspeth.
Along with being a professional logistician, leader and mentor to soldiers, Mariano did most of it during a time when she couldn’t truly be open about herself. Mariano joined the military in 1979, a time when gay or lesbians were not openly allowed to serve.
“I joined the military because I had the want to serve and no other reason. I brought another buddy who was gay with me to join,” said Mariano in 2021 interview. “Even at basic training, I didn’t think about it and no one said anything about it, even if I was wearing men’s aloha shirts, I didn’t care.”
Mariano believes starting in the Hawaii National Guard was a benefit to her.
“I think in Hawaii we were less concerned about, it just wasn’t an issue there,” said Mariano. “It also just wasn’t who I was. You didn’t need to know me or know my sexual orientation, you just needed to know, if I knew my job and if I did it well.”
Mariano served everyday with the same attitude, being a professional, doing her job and ensuring the job was done well.
“I banked my career on that,” said Mariano. “I didn’t care if you like me or not, I had a job to get done.”
Whether she wants the credit or not, the always humble Mariano leaves a legacy in the Washington Army National Guard that will be felt by future generations.
“She has been a staple of professionalism and her impacts have grown the logistics community in the Washington Army National Guard,” said Mushallo. “Her legacy will span for years to come.”
| Date Taken: | 03.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2023 14:14 |
| Story ID: | 439890 |
| Location: | CAMP MURRAY, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 235 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Chief Warrant Officer retires after 44 years of service, by Joseph Siemandel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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