Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Kaitlin Young | NORTH SEA (Oct. 27, 2024) Operation’s Specialist Seaman Karla Luna, a native of...... read more read more
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NORTH SEA (Oct. 14, 2024) When Operation’s Specialist Seaman Karla Luna joined the Navy, she wanted to be at the center of everything and play a role in saving lives. She determined that operation’s specialist was the perfect fit.
“I was interested in tracking contacts, breaking codes, and being in the know when it comes to the ship’s operations,” said Luna. “We’re kind of like the gossip girls of operations; we’re involved in everything, we know everything that’s going on, and we share information with the other ships in the strike group.”
Luna has been in the Navy for just over a year. She was excited to go on her first deployment and be able to do the job she trained for. However, during the first week of deployment, she was sent “cranking,” a Navy term for temporary assignment to another job as a food service attendant (FSA).
Cranking is a common experience for enlisted Sailors. Many Sailors, at some point in their careers, are sent to do another job unrelated to their specialty. Food service attendant is one of the positions Sailors can be temporarily assigned, and it is the position most commonly associated with the term cranking.
“The FSA program is a great program, and it’s something that is necessary in the Navy,” said Culinary Specialist 1st Class Alejandro Martinez, leading petty officer of the 2nd Supply Division. “We have rated personnel who do the cooking, and we have food service attendants who perform back-of-the-house duties, such as washing dishes, setting up food lines, cleaning the mess decks, and restocking products. Without the food service attendants, culinary specialists wouldn’t be able to reach their maximum potential.”
It's understandable for a Sailor in Luna’s position to be disappointed. She’s new to the Navy and her job, and this deployment is her first opportunity to apply what she has learned throughout her training. However, instead of viewing her time as a food service attendant as a disappointment, she said it is an opportunity to learn, grow, and work hard.
“I just want to do whatever job I’m needed for and do it well,” said Luna. “Even though I’m looking forward to getting back to my job [as an operation’s specialist], I’m going to continue to work as hard as I can and learn as much as possible as a food service attendant.”
Due to her hard work, Luna excelled during her time as an FSA, earning her a selection as USS Gettysburg’s Sailor of the week.
“Luna has only been [a food service attendant] for a few weeks, but in those few weeks, she has gone above and beyond without losing sight of the basics,” said Martinez. “She’s always willing to help others and she’s always there when you need her.”
In addition to recognizing her hard work and dependability, Martinez noticed that Luna’s performance has evolved substantially over a very short period.
“In two weeks, I’ve seen her grow,” said Martinez. “Luna is really quiet, and being an FSA forces you to talk more. In the kitchen, you have to be loud to be heard, and she’s definitely improved when it comes to talking to others and expressing herself. She has definitely come out of her shell.”
Luna has about two more months as an FSA. When she returns to her job as an operation’s specialist, she hopes to receive the necessary training to become an air traffic controller. According to Luna, she is confident that the work ethic and skills she gains from her time as a food service attendant will help her achieve her goals as an operation’s specialist.
| Date Taken: | 10.14.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.21.2024 06:18 |
| Story ID: | 485814 |
| Location: | NORTH SEA |
| Web Views: | 25 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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