Photo By Chief Petty Officer Zachary Anderson | 190702-N-MH210-0010 Norfolk, Va (July 2, 2019) Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 2nd...... read more read more
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When walking down the passageways of the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan (LHD 5), you pass many faces, but there is one face you can always count on to be wearing a smile, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 2nd Class Gillian Zamora, this year’s recipient of the Aviation Boatswain's Mate Association and Commander, Naval Air Force Atlantic Fleet’s Lt. Cmdr. Regina P. Mills Leadership Award.
Every year the Aviation Mate Association recognizes two Sailors from the Aviation Boatswain’s Mate community who they feel best embody the spirit of Lt. Cmdr. Regina P. Mills. Mills enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Boatswain’s Mate and later earned a commission as an aircraft handling officer. She served as the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) first female aircraft handling officer successfully leading one of the largest departments onboard. Mills was killed in 2012, after being struck by a vehicle when she stopped to assist others involved in a traffic collision in Gig Harbor, Wash.
“Regina was always such a caring person,” said Senior Chief Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) Hawa Riley, Zamora’s Leading Chief Petty Officer. “So after her death, the Aviation Boatswain’s Community thought it would be fitting to create this leadership award in her honor. She was a great leader, a great handler, a great air boss; pretty much everything about Regina Mills was great. This honor doesn’t even touch an inch of what she really was, however this is the best we could do to honor her by recognizing Sailors who are great leaders like she always was.
For Zamora, this award is a lot more than just a piece of paper and a pat on the back. “I feel honored and humbled,” shared Zamora. “I’m honored because it means that someone took the time out to recognize that I’m doing what I’m supposed to do, and I’m humbled because the award is in honor of such an influential person in the [Aviation Boatswain’s Mate] community.”
According to Riley, Zamora has taken on difficult duties throughout her career and built a reputation of excellence that follows her wherever she goes.
Riley who nominated Zamora for the award worked with her at Recruit Training Command, “I saw her work ethic there,” said Riley. “So when I saw her onboard the Bataan, I already knew I had a strong second class to lead the division, and she has set the standard since day one.”
Zamora attributes her success to always trying to remember her “why,” which is her fundamental desire to always continue bettering herself. “On my bad days I remember that my Sailors need me,” said Zamora. “They are my reason to keep going. Because if I stop doing what I have to do, what is going to drive them to do better?”
For Zamora, bad days are vital to growth.
“It’s not as easy as it seems,” said Zamora. “There are struggles; it’s all about how you overcome them. There are going to be good days and bad days, but it’s important that you use those struggles as stepping stones to self-improvement.”
A Regina P. Mills Leadership recipient must have demonstrated exceptional leadership skills, a strong work ethic, dedication to duty and contributed to improving the ABF community. Which Zamora has demonstrated all throughout her Navy career and especially since 2017 while aboard the Bataan. Zamora says she has learned to lead by watching other strong females in the Navy.
“When I joined the Navy, I guess I was lucky, I always seemed to have good leadership from the start,” said Zamora. “At my first command, I met my first female Master Chief and I told myself that I would like to be like her or at least copy some of her characteristics.”
Zamora’s attitude, leadership, and experiences have all culminated in a second class more than worthy of the Regina P. Mills Leadership Award, according to Riley.
“Winning the award really reaffirmed everything we already knew about her as a great leader,” said Riley. “So when she won this award, it wasn’t a surprise; it was a confirmation that everyone else in the Aviation Boatswain’s Mate community saw that this girl deserved some recognition.”
| Date Taken: | 07.03.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 07.03.2019 14:22 |
| Story ID: | 330280 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,475 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Bataan Sailor Receives 2019 Regina P. Mills Leadership Award, by CPO Zachary Anderson, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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