Photo By Burrell Parmer | JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON – (Oct. 15, 2024) – Olivia Cruz, a budget...... read more read more
JOINT BASE SAN ANTONIO-FORT SAM HOUSTON – (Oct. 15, 2024) – National Hispanic Heritage Month marks a time to showcase and honor the many contributions Hispanic Americans have made to the Department of Defense (DoD) and the nation.
Possessing a diverse workforce is important to NAMRU San Antonio as it acknowledges individual strengths of each Sailor, Soldier, civilian and contractor, and the potential they bring to accomplishing the command’s mission.
Olivia Cruz, a budget analyst lead assigned to the command’s Resource Management and Acquisitions Directorate (DRMA), is a representation of the highly professional and diverse civilian workforce within Navy Medicine.
A 2014 graduate of Texas A&M University at San Antonio, Cruz directly supports the allocation and execution of all Research, Development, Test, and Evaluation (RDT&E) and Operation and Maintenance (O&M) funding received by NAMRU San Antonio. This includes performing or advising on work in any of the phases or systems of budget administration of funds required for command programs. Additionally, she serves as the command’s Time and Attendance clerk.
A San Antonio native, Cruz began her Navy civilian career in 2021 with Naval Medical Forces Development Command serving as the regional labor and budget analyst.
“At my previous command, I was the only person on board who was born and raised in San Antonio,” said Cruz. “Most of the times, the comptroller would refer newly arriving personnel to me for places in the city to visit and eat. Eventually, I joked with telling people that I was the unofficial San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.”
According to Cruz, who has been maintaining and executing government budgets for 15 years, there are countless opportunities to serve locally, out of state and even overseas within Navy Medicine.
“Working for NAMRU San Antonio has provide me with insight on the numerous opportunities available for my son in science research as he begins his journey in biology,” said Cruz, whose goal is to complete her career at the federal level. “When I initially came on board with the command, I didn’t realize that I would be working directly with some of the Navy’s smartest research scientists.”
“As analysts, we don’t see the type of research that is being conducted. Usually, all we see is the money side,” added Cruz. “Is there funding? Are the funds committed? The list goes on, but we never see the scientists at work.”
Cruz feels that being able to observe some of the work being done at NAMRU San Antonio enables her to understand how important her role is in the command.
“Being able to know how my job directly supports research has motivated me to be a more knowledgeable analyst which allows our scientists to efficiently research projects that will essentially save countless lives,” said Cruz. “Our DRMA team doesn’t allow setbacks and limited staff to stop us from hindering our scientists from their research mission.”
Perseverance is one of Cruz’s strengths.
“I have always persevered; however, working for the Navy has instilled in me the motivations to keep going even if I feel that I am not performing to my personal standards,” said Cruz. “However, I have the great opportunity of working with so many diverse personalities and professionals from whom I continue to learn from. They have shown me that there is more for me to learn and how to overcome challenges.”
Continuing to listen, learn, and apply shared knowledge from others has enhanced Cruz’s importance of her role as an analyst with NAMRU San Antonio. In the future, she wants to share her knowledge with others to guide and help make them better in their profession.
NAMRU San Antonio’s mission is to conduct gap driven combat casualty care, craniofacial, and directed energy research to improve survival, operational readiness, and safety of DoD personnel engaged in routine and expeditionary operations.
NAMRU San Antonio is one of the leading research and development laboratories for the U.S. Navy under the DoD and is one of eight subordinate research commands in the global network of laboratories operating under the Naval Medical Research Command in Silver Spring, Md.
| Date Taken: | 10.15.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 10.15.2024 15:14 |
| Story ID: | 483163 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 231 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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