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OKINAWA, Japan - After more than 1,900 official passports, 4,000 tourist passports, 700 naturalized citizens over the last three years, Rubylyn E. Almonte, the passport agent and naturalization coordinator for U.S. Forces Japan, is departing Okinawa.
Almonte and her family are native to the Republic of the Philippines, where her husband was recruited in the Navy years ago. During their time in the military, both Almonte, her husband and their daughter became naturalized citizens of the United States.
Ironically, throughout the past three years, Almonte has served as the primary passport agent for official and tourist passports for MCBJ, led a team of Marines and organized seven naturalization ceremonies. She has provided this service to members of all U.S. military branches, their families and Department of Defense family members, contractors and civilians.
“We decided to leave because our daughter is about to be a senior in high school and she doesn’t know what it’s like to be a teenager in America,” said Almonte. “We want her to experience social interactions in America before going to college.”
Almonte is cheerful and welcoming to everyone who comes through her door, said Pfc. Donald J. Hoitt, the official passport agent at IPAC, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Marine Corps Base Camp Butler. She conducts her job professionally, efficiently and did everything in her power to help a customer. It doesn’t matter how stressful the situation is, she keeps her cool and treats everyone with respect, he added.
Master Gunnery Sgt. Juan D. Valdivia, IPAC staff noncommissioned officer-in-charge, agrees with Hoitt and says she goes above and beyond.
“I have seen her drive to the U.S. consulate on her own time and [exhaust all her resources] to help a customer with passport problems after normal working hours,” he said.
Almonte was recently presented a letter of appreciation from Maj. Gen. Peter J. Talleri, commanding general for Marine Corps Base Camp Butler and deputy commander for Marine Corps Bases Japan, for her efforts during her time on Okinawa. During her time here, she has received multiple LOAs for her work with the passport and naturalization section, but this was the first she received from a general officer.
“She taught me everything I know about my job,” said Hoitt. “When I don’t know the answer to a question, I ask her. I don’t know how I will make it through the day after she leaves. She made the office a happy environment.”
Almonte would often bring in home-cooked meals to give Marines a taste of home while serving on Okinawa.
“Being overseas, many Marines are away from home and their families, so I would make food for the office to make sure they got a good home-cooked meal every now and then,” said Almonte. “I make sure they are taken care of on a professional and personal level.”
Almonte’s position at the IPAC put her in charge of several Marines for all professional matters. The way she takes care of her Marines is comparable to a SNCO in the Marine Corps, said Valdivia.
“Even as a civilian, she constantly makes sure the Marines in her section are doing [Marine Corps Institute courses], taking advantage of education and training opportunities and ensuring they are at their assigned place of duty. She really cares about her job and those around her.”
Almonte says she is humbled to have been given the privilege to render service to our service members and families.
“I will treasure the people I worked with and met during the years.”
| Date Taken: | 06.02.2011 |
| Date Posted: | 06.01.2011 23:16 |
| Story ID: | 71450 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 141 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Almonte key in helping service members, families through naturalization process, by Matt Denny, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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