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MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP PENDLETON, Calif.–Being a single mother of a 3-year-old boy at 20 is never easy, no matter the person, even for Dora Rodriguez. She knew she needed a change in her life; she just had to figure out how to get it. However, after hearing what her cousin had to say after coming back from boot camp, she knew that joining the Marine Corps would be the solution.
“I was 20 when I joined the Marine Corps. So, I was a lot older than most of them and I already had a child,” said Rodriguez. “I was very mature and wanted to do something with my life. So, when I stepped on those yellow footprints, I knew I was going to make the Marine Corps my career. Whether it was 20 or 30 years.”
Little did she know that she would be spending the next 46 years and more to follow working for the Marine Corps.
Rodriguez was not new to this hard-working lifestyle. Coming from the small town of Nipomo, Calif., she began working in the fields from a young age.
“I've been working since I was probably 11 years old. We used to work up in the field with our parents,” said Rodriguez. “We used to go pick strawberries, carrots, potatoes and all that every summer.”
The Marine Corps provided her with the guidance and structure that she was seeking for her life. Through many long and hard years, it taught her many leadership skills that would benefit her career during and after the Marine Corps.
“What makes a strong leader is leadership by example. That’s my favorite one right there,” said Rodriguez. “How can I expect somebody to go out there and do something I can't do myself? And that's why I'm broken, my knees are broken, I was out there PTing [working out] every day with my Marines.”
Rodriguez hoped to do 30 years in the Marine Corps but unfortunately, her body didn’t allow her to. Nevertheless, this didn’t stop her from continuing to work with the Marines.
“I was the G-1 staff non-commissioned officer in charge at 1st Marine Division and retired in March 2005. And I had a career of 26 years. I would’ve done 30, but the old me wouldn't allow me to,” said Rodriguez. “When I retired in March of 2005 there was a job opening here at G-1 at Marine Corp Base Camp Pendleton. I was on terminal leave. I was lucky to get a job here because there was an opening. But my first job here was as a fund manager. And then I became the deputy adjutant and then I waited it out, then I became the adjutant. So I've been here 20 years.”
Being a prior Marine greatly benefited her when she began her new career as a civilian.
“When I stepped in here, it was real simple. And the best part about my job here is I'm a civilian, but I still have my Marines who are near and dear to my heart,” said Rodriguez. “It helps me connect big time being a former enlisted Marine, I know how it is when you’re a private up to master gunnery sergeant. So when I come here as a civilian and I have private first classes all the way to master sergeant’s here, we connect right away because I’ve been in their shoes.”
She is highly spoken of by her Marines; they describe her work ethic as inspiring and motivating.
“She holds decades of knowledge and is one of the most capable and caring leaders I have ever had the pleasure of working with,” said Captain Taylor Dorsey, a communications and strategy operations officer and Marine Corps Installation West staff secretary. “There isn’t a single admin item she doesn’t know. She is incredibly genuine and deeply cares for her Marines and the mission here at MCIWEST.”
If you ask Rodriguez, how she stays so motivated, she will give all the credit to her faith.
“The Lord Almighty has been my driving force. And I have a lot of mentors, civilian and active duty,” said Rodriguez. “I've had numerous mentors that have taken me by the hand and guided me. But like I said, I have to give glory to the Lord because I'm here because of him.”
Rodriguez had a single request when asked about her legacy.
“I hope people remember that I’m a firm leader, but I'm a fair one too.”
Overall, Dora Rodriguez has accomplished numerous things in her career and still has no thoughts of retiring. She hopes to continue to impact the Marine Corps for many more years to come.
(U.S. Marine Corps Story by Lance Cpl. Jeslianne A. Torres)
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| Date Taken: | 04.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.15.2025 10:40 |
| Story ID: | 495300 |
| Location: | CAMP PENDLETON, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 13 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Always a Marine. The Career of Ms. Rodriguez, by LCpl Jeslianne Torres, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
