Photo By Anna Marie G. Gonzales | Lt. Cmdr. Beatriz Talerico, assigned to Naval Surface Group Middle Pacific discuss...... read more read more
(Editor's Note: Sailor Spotlight is a series of stories featuring personality profiles.)
Born in the Dominican Republic, Lt. Cmdr. Beatriz Talerico came to the United States when she was seven years old. Living on the outskirts of Brooklyn, New York, she found herself headed down the wrong path during her high school years.
“I was kicked out of my house by my mother when I was 17,” said Talerico. “At the time I was very upset, but now looking back, it was the right thing to do. I needed an awakening and I sure got one.”
Talerico lived with friends and her ex-boyfriend but quickly realized that moving every few weeks wasn’t sustainable.
“One day, while I was cutting class to go to work, I ran into a Navy recruiter, Quartermaster 1st Class Tamara Olivo,” she recalled. “She changed the trajectory of my life and I am so thankful for the encounter, I feel like it was fate showing me my path.”
Talerico’s path led her to enlist in the Navy in 2003. Her first duty station was Yokosuka, Japan, where she worked as a Hospital Corpsman with duties as a surgical technologist.
“I served as the leading petty officer of the main operating room and truly enjoyed being stationed in Japan,” she said. “The OR nurses saw something in me and provided amazing mentorship.”
She remembered how her dad would always emphasize the importance of an education. Early in her Navy career, she took advantage of tuition assistance and attended school in the evenings to complete her college general education course. From there, she quickly excelled.
“I became a second class petty officer in a little over three years. My second duty station was Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton in California where I was selected for the Seaman to Admiral Officer Program. I was ecstatic!” she exclaimed.
She rose from the enlisted ranks to a naval officer. Talerico earned her commission as a Surface Warfare Officer through the University of South Florida, graduating in 2012 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Cellular Molecular Biology.
Her sea tours included serving as the communications officer aboard USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), assistant future plans and tactics officer for Destroyer Squadron 23, weapons officer aboard USS Daniel Inouye (DDG 118), and plans and tactics officer aboard USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121).
Her shore tours included serving as the surface action group, over the horizon targeting, and surface search subject matter expert for the anti-submarine / anti-surface warfare tactics instructor schoolhouse in San Diego, California and is currently serving as the operations planner for Task Force Middle Pacific at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam.
“My time in the Navy has been exceptional,” Talerico added. “Don’t get me wrong, I’ve experienced many hard days, but the good ones continue to outweigh the bad.”
Through the Navy, Talerico was able to complete her college education and gain valuable leadership skills. She was accepted into the Secretary of the Navy Tours with Industry Program, where she was immersed in an industry to learn and observe corporate processes and best practices. She was able to fully integrate with a corporate team and learn other ways of leadership and project management – skills that she took back with her to the Navy.
“This was the second-best experience the Navy has given me followed by my education,” she added. “During my time in the Navy, I also volunteered to help with the community such as beach cleanups, Operation Smile, local soup kitchens, Meals on Wheels and helping out at food banks.”
Talerico said her husband is a source of support and inspiration.
“My husband is my rock, my biggest fan, my best friend, and the one who keeps me grounded,” she said. “His name is Brian and is a prevention officer with the U.S. Coast Guard stationed at Sector Honolulu. His positive outlook on life and reasonable way of thinking, is the Yin to my Yang.”
Her advice to young female Sailors who want to succeed? Find your tribe.
“Find the friends and peers who are where you want to be and learn from them and surround yourself with those who are moving in the same direction as you,” she advised. “Find male and female mentors who can guide you in your Navy career.”
Talerico capped her advice with her favorite quote from Elenor Roosevelt: “Never allow a person to tell you 'no' who doesn't have the power to say 'yes.'”
| Date Taken: | 04.08.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.08.2024 18:12 |
| Story ID: | 468078 |
| Location: | JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, HI, US |
| Web Views: | 78 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Sailor Spotlight: Chance Encounter Helped Her Find a Life Path, by Anna Marie G. Gonzales, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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