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For some people it’s a personal choice when deciding to join the United States Armed Forces, however for Ensign Saleem Baksh, the hazardous material division officer aboard the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), it’s more like a family affair.
Baksh, born on the island of Trinidad and Tobago, moved to New York with her family when she was 8 years-old. After living in New York for five years, her family relocated to Virginia Beach, Virginia, where she calls home. The Baksh military legacy began with her father, a disabled Army veteran who served during the Vietnam War and suffers health issues from exposure to Agent Orange and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Although the effects of her father’s disability was challenging for the Baksh family, it didn’t deter them from their strong sense of pride and dedication to serving their adoptive country, which is now a part of their family tradition. All Baksh siblings are serving in the Armed Forces, with her younger brothers serving in the Air Force and Army and her older sister serving in the Navy.
“I always wanted to join the Navy from a very young age. It’s what I always saw myself doing,” said Baksh. “I originally was planning on joining directly after graduating high school, but found myself taking a different route, by continuing my education paid for by my father’s Veteran Affair’s benefits.”
After graduating from Greenrun High School, Baksh enrolled in Tidewater Community College and then finished her business marketing degree at Old Dominion University. Afterward college she began working as an assistant manager for Sherwin-Williams.
“I loved my time spent at Sherwin-Williams, the people were good to me and I was making good money and couldn’t have been happier,” Baksh said. “I really enjoyed the position I was in, but it started to get monotonous. Since, I always saw myself joining the Navy I decided it was time to do something bigger then myself and be part of the bigger picture.”
Baksh applied and was accepted to Navy Officer Candidate School and was commissioned as a Naval Officer on May 11, 2016. She then went onto Naval Supply Corps School where she learned to be a supply officer.
“When signing up for the Navy I knew I didn’t want to do anything, but work in the supply field,” Baksh explained.
Baksh’s older sister, who is a Navy limited duty administrative officer, was the biggest influence in her decision to join the Navy.
“My sister enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Boatswains Mate (Handling) and crossed rated to Personnel Specialist where she rose to the rank of chief petty officer before becoming a limited duty officer,” Baksh said. “Just seeing her rise to that kind of level and help mentor others around her inspires me to do the same. I look up to my sister not only because she’s older, but because of what she has done serving this country and how much she has achieved during her time in the Navy.”
Following her sister’s tutelage, Baksh wants to help mold other Sailors and help them to grow not only in the Navy, but as people like her family and herself have grown.
Baksh said, “I have an open door policy and I see myself as an approachable person. I want Sailors to be able to come up to me and be able to speak to me about anything, whether it be for advice or they just need to get some things off of their chests. One of my short term goals is to help mentor Sailors to be the best possible person they can be each day.”
Baksh mentors Sailors by helping them the same way she helps herself, through goals, encouragement, advice and being an example aboard the ship.
“I set myself up for success by making these checkpoints, these short term goals that help me reach my end goal whatever it may be,” said Baksh. “I just want the same for everyone, to be able to help them set themselves up to be successful.”
| Date Taken: | 01.09.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2019 11:18 |
| Story ID: | 306514 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Hometown: | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Family Affair, by PO1 Leonard Weston, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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