Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher OGrady | Yeoman First Class Emmanuel Cabrera, a Recruit Division Commander at Recruit Training...... read more read more
Subscribe
Meet Yeoman First Class (YN1) Emmanuel Cabrera, a Recruit Division Commander (RDC) at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, the Navy’s only boot camp.
Hailing from Yonkers, New York, Cabrera joined the Navy 10 years ago, driven by a desire to help his family financially.
“I grew up as the oldest of four boys, and it was tough watching my mother struggle as a single parent,” Cabrera says. “After my grandmother passed away, she really didn’t have anyone else to rely on. In many ways, it made me take on the role of parent, caretaker, and provider for my younger siblings. Living in New York, there are many times when it can feel like you’re just trying to survive. I decided I needed to make some changes so I could help my mother financially. I went to speak with a recruiter, and in the office, I noticed a poster for the Navy’s birthday—October 13, 1775. That’s the same day as my grandmother’s birthday, and I took that as a sign that this was where I was meant to be.”
Before arriving at RTC, Cabrera was stationed at NAS Fallon in Nevada, VFA 147 in Lemoore, California, and was deployed on USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). Cabrera’s primary duties as an RDC include transforming young men and women into smartly disciplined, physically fit, and basically trained Sailors. In his current role, he serves as a facilitator for the Recruit Aptitude Motivation Program (RAMP), which is designed to assist recruits who are struggling to adapt to the rigorous training environment.
Cabrera attributes his success at RTC to his parents, whom he credits for shaping his work ethic.
“My parents divorced when I was young, and that experience taught me a lot about humility, patience, and keeping a positive outlook,” he says. “My father always reminded me that life would be my greatest teacher, and there would be times when hard work and the ability to endure hardship would be all I could rely on. Both my mother and father come from a generation and culture where you work until you die, and that mindset of never giving up is something I truly admire. I’ve dedicated myself to the Navy in this same way, but fortunately, I have the luxury of being able to retire and participate in my children’s lives in a way that they weren’t able to.”
Although Cabrera has achieved many of his goals at RTC, his responsibilities come with challenges.
“When I train recruits, I treat them like my own family,” Cabrera says. “I strive to provide the best version of myself so they are as prepared as possible for the fleet. Unfortunately, not every recruit will graduate for various reasons. It can be frustrating not to be able to protect everyone and give them what they need to succeed. On the flip side, I truly enjoy witnessing that light bulb moment when everything starts to click. Watching recruits gain confidence in themselves is the most rewarding part.”
Cabrera’s motivation to shape the future of the Navy is deeply rooted in his commitment to service.
“Looking back, I could never have imagined the life I live now when I was in my 20s,” he says. “The Navy has provided me with a life that my family can be proud of. I am the first person in my family to serve in the military, and I have truly changed the trajectory of what my children will be able to achieve with their lives. I have a cousin who is currently a recruit in boot camp, and I’m thrilled that he was also inspired to change his life and follow in my footsteps. Each day I wake up, I can honestly say I’m honored to be a United States Sailor, and I want to do my part to serve and give back."
Looking forward, Cabrera has established ambitious objectives for the remainder of his naval career.
“Right now, I’m focused on securing a promotion to the next rank. Once I make Chief, I’m definitely going to keep pushing forward and envision myself as a Senior Chief in the next five years. I’m also keeping my options open and may consider commissioning one day as a Limited Duty Officer (LDO).”
Cabrera continues to contribute to the Navy’s mission, upholding the values of service and dedication to inspire future Sailors as they join the fleet.
Boot camp is approximately nine weeks and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness and lessons in Navy heritage and core values, Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 03.25.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 03.25.2025 10:58 |
| Story ID: | 493675 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | YONKERS, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 461 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Staff in the Spotlight – Yeoman First Class Emmanuel Cabrera, by Marc Lindsay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
