Photo By Sgt. Nicholas Ranum | Master Sgt. Tammy A. Belleville swears her oath of enlistment during her promotion...... read more read more
Subscribe
OKINAWA, Japan - Master Sgt. Tammy A. Belleville is a strong Marine who has overcome adversity and hardship to get to where she is today. Now she is back on Okinawa where it all started.
Belleville reported here for the first time 16 years ago.
“Okinawa was my first duty station, I came here in 1996 and was meritoriously promoted to corporal before I left the island,” said Belleville, a paraloft chief with Landing Support Company, Combat Logistics Regiment 37, 3rd Marine Logistics Group, III Marine Expeditionary Force. “To be here 16 years later and be promoted to master sergeant in the same place I was a lance corporal is pretty amazing.”
Belleville’s co-workers speak highly of her and her high level of professionalism. She is the first female in her job field to be promoted to master sergeant.
“From day one, she welcomed me with open arms into the platoon and showed me the ropes,” said Staff Sgt. Crystal M. Salinas, a platoon sergeant with the company, who worked with Belleville as a corporal and now as a staff sergeant. “She is very passionate about our job, and I am as well, so we share that enthusiasm.”
During the first four years of Belleville’s career, there were only two female Marines in her military occupational specialty of airborne and air delivery specialist.
“To females coming up in this job, I would say never let adversities or judgments of others dictate your path,” said Belleville.
When deciding to join the Corps, Belleville knew it was an extremely male-dominated organization, but she did not know her chosen field was even more male dominated than the Marine Corps norm as a whole.
“There was a level of professional respect that I had to work to get,” said Belleville. “I had to prove that I could do my job just as well as they could do theirs and that it didn’t matter that I’m a female.”
Belleville prides herself on being able to make her own way and not letting anyone’s previous actions decide her fate.
“Let me make my own legacy, let me make my own mistakes, and then judge me based upon my own merit,” said Belleville.
Belleville’s challenges were not limited to those brought on by the Marine Corps.
“I was a single mom for seven and a half years, plus in the Marine Corps, plus going to school, and trying to excel in all the different areas to make me a better Marine,” said Belleville.
Through it all, Belleville has overcome obstacles and brings that experience and determination to the units’ junior Marines.
“She is a hard worker, and she is so dedicated sometimes it’s hard to get her out of the office,” said Salinas. “That’s a great quality to have in a leader because she honestly, from the bottom of her heart, cares about the Marines.”
Belleville has come full circle in her career and now inspires young Marines to strive for greatness and to never give up.
“It’s a pleasure to work with her, we are always on the same sheet of music, and it’s really hard to find that kind of leader, that kind of work relationship,” said Salinas. “I have always told her that I wouldn’t want to work for anyone else.”
| Date Taken: | 07.02.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 07.19.2012 20:30 |
| Story ID: | 91859 |
| Location: | OKINAWA, JP |
| Web Views: | 224 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Marine inspires, sets example for others to follow, by LCpl Mike Granahan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
