MARINE CORPS AIR STATION CHERRY POINT, N.C. - The Havelock Military Affairs Committee recognized Staff Sgt. Isaiah D. Ybarra, his wife, Noelle, and their daughter as the Havelock MAC Military Family of the Quarter at a dinner in Havelock April 23.
The Ybarra family was recognized for their many contributions to the air station and the local community.
Ybarra, a C-9 crew chief with Marine Transport Squadron 1, spends his time both on and off duty pushing for excellence from those around him.
“Staff Sgt. Ybarra is a great man who takes care of those around him,” said Lt. Col. Brian D. Bernth, the commanding officer of VMR-1. “I have had the honor of flying in combat with him on many occasions and there is not a more knowledgeable crew chief to be flying through hostile skies with. He and his family are all great assets to VMR-1 and the community.”
Ybarra spends his off time with his family or working with Marines at the Cherry Point Crossfit center and is the general manager of the facility.
“Everyone should strive, if for nothing else, to be just a bit better than before,” said Ybarra. “That is why I volunteer my time to this Crossfit program aboard the air station, to help that Marine get those few extra pull-ups to perfect his (physical fitness test), to help another Marines lose some weight to make standards and just maintain the healthy standards of the Marine Corps.”
Noelle is also helping Marines stay fit in addition to being a full time student at Eastern Carolina University. She is a personal trainer with Semper Fit here and helps run the Crossfit center when Ybarra is flying or not able to be there.
Their daughter served as the Havelock High School freshman class secretary for the student council and will serve as the sophomore class vice-president next year. She was recently nominated as one of only two freshmen from her school to attend a leadership seminar in Asheville, N.C.
“My family and I are truly humbled by this,” said Ybarra. “It’s one thing to be told ‘thank you’ for the work we do, but to be recognized as the Military Family of the Quarter, that is a great feeling, and we really feel extremely honored to receive this award.”