I would love to receive feedback from y’all regarding the motivational statement I sent to SWO. Based on input from my officer recruiter, and other motivational statements that’s passed, I put the following:
The Lord Jesus Christ once stated in the Gospel of John the following: "Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15:13, KJV). The ultimate act of service and love for our fellow civilians is to willingly offer one's life for the safety and protection of others in an honorable and just manner. This Scripture, in conjunction with the Navy Ethos, "We defend our Nation and prevail in the face of adversity with strength, determination, and dignity," conceptualizes my calling to serve in the United States Navy and resonates profoundly within me in all that I do. Protecting our nation's waters is a sense of responsibility that is greater than an individual and crucial to our nation's security. To begin a strong work by serving in the Navy, one must endure and persevere in this line of work with integrity, respect, and with indisputable commitment. Service in the Navy profession is beyond simply a job; it is a lifelong responsibility and sacred calling to protect our beautiful, virtuous, great nation under God for all persons. The Navy Ethos, my faith, and my past leadership roles in the civilian sector have not only called me to this work to become a Surface Warfare Officer, but I am inspired to apply all of my skills, knowledge, and competencies to protect and serve our sailors with all of my heart, soul, mind, spirit, and strength for any task at hand, no matter the cost.
The United States Navy is a comradeship bound by the honor of a joint mission, with each sailor playing a critical role and must serve with integrity. As a public health professional with an undergraduate in Health Behavior Science and a graduate degree in Public Health Practice specializing in evaluating and managing projects and public health programming, I intend to utilize these skills to assist our sailors to the best of my capabilities. For the last six years, I have led multi-million-dollar grant projects as a project supervisor for nonprofit organizations, worked at the Department of Health in assisting, identifying, and preventing disease outbreaks as a part of a team, have led student organizations, and have served as a leader for Men's Ministry. Engaging in these leadership roles has been natural and innate. It has allowed me to find and develop opportunities to overcome challenges, take on additional responsibilities, and demonstrate servant leadership. However, regardless of the objective, whether military or civilian, it must be predicated on service, successful teamwork, loyalty, and strong communication. As a project supervisor, I have faced numerous close deadlines that, if not met, substantially impacted clients' lives and my employees' lives. In particular, coordinating communication and directives between upper management and my field-level staff founded on servant leadership has brought me immense joy, even in the most challenging, complex, and stressful situations, which is where I thrive most. Leadership in any capacity requires belief in the mission and unyielding indefatigability to achieve victory. These roles have prepared me for this opportunity to become a Naval Officer, which I wish to use to guide our sailors, as a living sacrifice to them, nobly and honorably and to ensure the victory of the United States Navy's mission and vision.
Surface Warfare Officers are extraordinarily critical, requiring perspicacious leaders with undeniable perseverance in the face of adversity. My primary objective in entering the Navy is to serve as a leader for the Sailors who risk their lives daily with no recourse that allows our communities to thrive. If I am provided with this opportunity, I will serve the United States Navy and our sailors with all my heart, soul, mind, body, and strength every day to protect all Sailors against all foreign and domestic threats.
I tried my hardest to not make it sound like a resume but I wish to apply what I’ve learned throughout my public health career for my role possibly in SWO. I’d love to hear y’all’s thoughts!
