Subscribe
WASHINGTON – With just a few months until the 60th Presidential Inauguration, the nation's capital is gearing up for this historic event. Such a large-scale occasion comes with its challenges, but personnel like U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Swift Sanchez, the intelligence and operations resource planner at the Joint Task Force-National Capital Region, are prepared and ready to tackle those challenges. Sanchez’s extensive service and dedication allow her to provide support to one of the nation’s most important traditions.
Sanchez grew up in Forks, Washington, famous for being the filming location of the popular "Twilight" movies. After graduating college, she joined the Navy, a decision that felt natural, given her family’s history of service.
“I come from a big military family,” said Sanchez. “When I joined, my sister was already in the Army, and my brother was in the Marine Corps. I have several uncles in the Air Force and lots of Marines in the family, so it was a natural choice for me.”
Sanchez’s strong sense of duty encouraged her to also serve as a police officer in Washington for 22 years while in the Navy Reserves. Her extensive experience in law enforcement aided her transition from force protection in the Navy to intelligence operations.
“That experience really helped my progression from Master-at-Arms to Intel, especially when it comes to security for these big events,” she said. “Like dealing with a lot of chaotic and ever-changing situations, especially in high-stress scenarios where plans suddenly change.”
Not only has Sanchez’s civilian and reservist work experience prepared her for this assignment, but her contributions during the 2017 and 2021 inaugurations provided her with knowledge and insight the Intel unit heavily relies on.
Sanchez learned during the last inauguration the importance of being proficient with online communication and collaborative tools, something that was not prevalent before the COVID-19 pandemic. The lack of implementation of these systems paired with the normal chaos during an election cycle made the 59th Presidential Inauguration especially challenging, said Sanchez.
Today, her team incorporates these practices regularly, which helps them tackle information oversight, one of her biggest challenges during this year’s 60th Presidential Inauguration. Coordinating and effectively sharing information between agencies to ensure that the civilian and military police can maintain situational awareness and respond to all potential threats remains a top priority, she said.
Yet despite the difficulties that Sanchez faces, she remains committed to her job and is grateful to partake in all the opportunities the Navy has afforded her.
“I think my favorite thing about Intel is the travel that I've gotten to do, especially working with a lot of different foreign services,” said Sanchez.
Some of Sanchez’s fondest memories from her time in the Navy come from the unique cultural exchanges she experienced while traveling to different countries. She said that getting to know people from diverse backgrounds and forming meaningful connections with them make all the hard work worthwhile.
The 60th Presidential Inauguration is a historic event celebrating the peaceful power transition. Service members like Sanchez play a vital role in making sure the JTF-NCR demonstrates the military’s precision, teamwork, and dedication to ceremonial excellence during the inauguration. Sanchez’s devotion and dedication to service are crucial to the collaborative efforts to safeguard this historic event.
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2024 10:38 |
| Story ID: | 484822 |
| Location: | DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Hometown: | FORKS, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 47 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, US Sailor Continues Tradition with 3rd Presidential Inauguration, by SPC Luciano Alcala, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
