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Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Lolua “Leo” Leomiti dreamed of joining the U.S. Navy like her father, High Talking Chief Faitamai Leomiti in the Village of Pavaiai of American Samoa, since she was in elementary school.
With boots that glisten along with her quiet smile, she embarked on her journey to fulfil her dream of following in her father’s footsteps and later fighting to become a naturalized citizen.
“I was inspired by my Dad who served for 22 years as a Machinist’s Mate,” said Leo. “I have seen how the Navy took good care of him during his retirement and I want to do the same for my family.”
American Samoa has been an unincorporated territory of the U.S. since 1900, ceded by their island government, the Matai.
“It is unorganized and unincorporated only because we have our own government set up there, and the natives do not have U.S. citizenship; they are considered U.S. nationals,” said Leo. “We get to keep our communal lands, our family lands and the culture still thrives.”
Aside from the governor and Lieutenant governor, American Samoa has maintained their traditional Matai system comprised of chief representatives from each village.
“It is a smaller island, smaller than Guam, smaller than Hawaii,” said Leo. “I am from the Small Rock of American Samoa.”
Throughout generations, the people of American Samoa have seen how the military has benefited them on the island.
“When they retire, they can go back and already have lands that are available for them because they are family lands and they do not have to pay taxes,” said Leo. “They can build off that land and continue to receive military pay. I saw how well they took care of me and my siblings; and I wanted to be something too.”
It would still be another 22 years after Leo’s father retired from the U.S. Navy that he would see his daughter answer her call of duty as he had.
Before raising her right hand and enlisting into the Navy, Leo found her life partner, who joined the Navy before she did after they both graduated from community college in 2021.
“She chose the Seabee rate, and she loves it,” said Leo. “We married when she graduated “A” school in 2022.”
Within a year of their marriage, Leo graduated suma cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in general management, but chose to enlist in the Navy instead of walking during the graduation as an honor graduate.
“I did not have any regrets, only motivation, because I accomplished my bachelor’s and I was looking forward to tackling boot camp as soon as possible,” said Leo. “I was very driven to start my naval career and gain a lot of experience from it.”
To Leo’s surprise and delight, she would be shipping out from Hawaii to Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes with her cousin and a family friend. As it turned out, all three of them from the Small Rock of American Samoa ended up in the same division together.
“We had each other throughout boot camp, and I feel like that was God reminding us to be there for each other,” said Leo. “We took a piece of home with us as we continued to speak the Samoan language. Our recruit division commanders thought it was cool.”
After graduating basic training, Leo ventured off to train as an intelligence specialist (IS) to Information Warfare Training Command (IWTC) in Virginia Beach where her naturalization was to occur. She had applied for naturalization at the start of boot camp and it continued to be postponed, which ended up keeping her away from her wife during their first year of marriage. Her father never needed or attempted naturalization and it was not common for American Samoans to obtain it, but Leo was selected to be an IS which, has citizenship requirements. While it was difficult to grasp in the beginning, she chose to stay the course.
“I felt unmotivated and discouraged at first, but I had such a strong support system – my parents, my wife, and my family, who all told me to continue to pray and use the free days I had to better myself,” said Leo. “I started working out, spending more time with distant relatives nearby.”
In addition to her immediate family encouraging her to press on from afar, Leo received news that her cousin she went to boot camp with was being stationed close to her in Virginia, which added more encouragement for her through the delayed naturalization process.
“Reuniting with my cousin in Virginia whom I had not seen since boot camp and making more friends that I consider family members gave me the relational purpose I needed to sustain for naturalization in Virginia. I received so much spiritual support being consistent with prayer, reading The Word, and attending the local Samoan church with my cousin. It really brought light into my life and made me feel whole. It broadened the bigger picture of my life and made me feel that I was just in a different environment, different scenery, but it still felt like home.”
Although Leo was not yet serving in the fleet, she volunteered for anything she could including participating in colors daily where she was presented a coin from the commanding officer, Cmdr. John C. Copeland. She was also presented a coin from Chief Intelligence Specialist Cody Leduff, who handed her a challenge coin just for how well she shined her boots.
“It was his own coin that he had personalized,” Leo said.
While focusing on her present stewardship and supporting her family from afar, the day would finally come when Leo would become a naturalized U.S. citizen.
“My dad was proud of me being the first member in our family to become a naturalized U.S. citizen,” said Leo. “Overall, however, I was mostly excited to start my naval career over anything else. I felt motivated because being on hold kept me from being able to carry out my orders in the fleet.”
Leo’s orders were initially to Sicily to serve as an image analyst where she would be co-located with her wife, but this was not meant to be. While waiting for her naturalization, her wife’s rotation date for her orders in Sicily was drawing closer and was no longer an option for Leo to move there. Instead, the Navy arranged for them both to be stationed in Coronado, Calif., where Leo would be assigned to Vinson. Although both of them were excited to start their lives together there, that would have to wait as Vinson was scheduled to go out to sea for an extended period of time.
At first, she felt down about being separated from her wife for longer, but after checking-in to Vinson, she was met with another surprise. She discovered there were not only more American Samoans onboard, but they were also family.
“If I had not come aboard the CVN 70, I would not have reconnected with more of my cousins,” said Leo. “They are from different squadrons so I didn’t know they were on the ship. They are all stationed at different places, so when they started unloading, as we prepared to go underway, we spotted each other and we were like, oh my God!”
Leo merely saw the deployment as an opportunity to encourage her cousins she grew up with on the island who were deployed with her.
“Whenever we link up together, we speak Samoan and it makes us feel like we are back on the island and we are just on a cruise ship on an adventure,” said Leo. “My other Samoan friends and cousins on the ship and I wear sarongs when we have our civilian clothes on, just because we miss the culture, we miss that familiarity. We encourage one another to keep up the Samoan language and culture while we serve the U.S. military.”
Wafting through the forward mess decks as the work day ends and the day crew begins to unwind, sounds of singing and a ukulele echo out from a small group of cousins singing together and remembering their days growing up in American Samoa.
Leo is thankful to be with her younger cousins on the ship and as the daughter of the chief in her village, Leo demonstrates leadership by being the first in her generation to join the U.S. Navy, the first to become naturalized a citizen, as well as continuing to harness the passion to maintain Samoan customs and traditions.
“I have always felt the responsibility to set an example for my siblings and my younger cousins and nieces in my community,” said Leo. “There are roles that I uphold as a Matai daughter for the village. I aspire to be a role model for my female cousins as we have specific roles to perform in the community.”
Leo’s cousin, Information Systems Technician Seaman Mettalynn Pelesasa explained that because of Leo’s role and heritage, she is expected to set the standard.
“Being the daughter of a high chief does play a huge role in the village as well because she has to maintain that standard, not only back home but everywhere she goes, said Pelesasa. “Just seeing how she operates on a daily basis with how she interacts with everyone in a humble and kind temperament; she does not let issues burden her, and she is quick to jump in and help other when they need it, dropping everything to make sure their needs are met first.”
In addition to maintaining culture and tradition, Leo also continues to uphold the strength of her faith that she and her cousins shared from the island.
“To stay connected to our religion, we have Bible studies,” said Leo. “I would bring my Bible study book for my cousins and I to read and reflect on. That is also something we did frequently in Samoa. We would have Bible studies in the morning with our family; we also had evening prayers, where we would go over The Word and sing Samoan hymns.”
“Many people, especially my family, ask why I did not initially go the commission route,” said Leo. “I wanted to go enlisted first because I believe that if you want to become a leader then you have to be the people you are leading. When I talk to my dad about it, he would reminisce the times he was on the carrier or the destroyer and he would relate to me about what I am going through right now.”
“Leo is seen as a mediator for the group,” said Yeoman Seaman Apprentice Candymichael Timoteo, one of Leo’s cousins assigned to Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 113. “She is the reason our group continues to expand, because she continues to connect with more people from the island. She invites them over, welcomes them, and brings everyone together.”
While it has not be an easy answering the call of duty for Leo, it has been a journey of faith, courage and connection that she feels is leading her right where she wants to be.
“I had a very humble start of my naval career. However, despite the hardships and unexpected outcomes, I’ve learned endurance and perseverance,” she said. “I kicked off my naval career being on deployment, actually doing my job, and that is all I ever wanted: get the experience, get my hands dirty first, and then I would be ready to commission as officer.”
| Date Taken: | 01.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.04.2025 22:07 |
| Story ID: | 489856 |
| Location: | SOUTH CHINA SEA |
| Web Views: | 7 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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