Photo By Lt. Sam Hardgrove | PHILIPPINE SEA (Oct. 26, 2020) Boatswain Mate 1st Class Tanika Sterritt points from a...... read more read more
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Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Tanika Sterritt, a native of Northglenn, Colo., is Arleigh-Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Barry’s senior sailor of the quarter for Quarter two of 2021- an honor she has most definitely earned. Serving eight years in the Navy, the Barry is her third ship, and she quickly established herself as an invaluable member of the Barry team. We had the pleasure of being able to highlight her story in an interview recently.
Q: Why did you decide to join the Navy?
A: My adopted dad is a Marine, and I had another family member who was also in the Navy. They thought joining the military could be a good option for me and that the Navy would pay for my college education. Truthfully, I didn’t have any idea what I was getting into when I stepped into the recruiter’s office, but when I finally made it through boot camp and got to my first ship, I knew I made the right choice and I couldn’t see myself doing anything else.
Q: Can you describe how you got to where you are now in your career?
A: I joined the Navy without a rate or anything. I earned my Enlisted Service Warfare Specialist as an E1 and Air Warfare Specialist as an E2. By the time I was E3, I was ready and I already had learned a lot about the job. Although I was young and inexperienced, I knew I wanted to challenge myself. I was quiet and reserved; I definitely didn’t have the bellowing voice that I have now. I’ve always been driven to pick up some skills that could benefit me later on. I wanted to become a good leader and help out my sailors as much as I could. That’s why I wanted to be a boatswain’s mate.
Q: Speaking of leaders are there any role models who really left a positive impact on you?
A: My first command was the USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) in Norfolk, where I had Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Mesler as a role model. He’s now the Bo’sun on the USS Georgetown. We still keep in touch too! On this past underway, when I filled in for my chief, I emailed him a lot for guidance. He taught me the leadership skills and technical side of being a boatswain’s mate. At my second command, I had Senior Chief Boatswain’s Mate Godwin. She taught me the tricks to female leadership and the importance of technical expertise. She was a godsend. She taught me how to perform in a high leadership role. Sometimes, when you have male counterparts in leadership, you can get pushed off to the side. She made sure I stayed on track and earned my qualifications. She knew how driven I was and drove me to be the best. Onboard Barry I’ve been fortunate enough to have Chief Boatswain’s Mate Doamaral. He’s taught me so much and he has really set me up for success on this ship.
Q: Have there been any challenges being a female boatswain’s mate?
A: The deckplates are truly such a male dominated world. In the past, I’ve been pushed out to the side a lot even though I’ve pushed myself 110% every day. As females, we have to prove ourselves more, but I don’t want that to be the case. But thankfully I’ve witnessed a lot of positive change over the years. In the Navy and especially on Barry, it’s not about your race, ethnicity, background, family, religion, sexuality, or gender. At the end of the day, we are all shipmates, and I’ll fight by their side just as they would fight by mine.
Q: What do you love about being a boatswain’s mate and what drives you?
A: The culture of the boatswain’s mates is if you show up on the deckplates first and start every day ready to work hard, you are going to get better every day. When I was a seaman, we were grinding and painting all the time. Unfortunately, I don’t get to do my basics as much anymore in my position. But my favorite part of being a boatswain’s mate is performing evolutions. Helicopter operations, underway replenishments-at-sea (UNREPs), and anchoring, they’re all when deck division gets to flex their muscles.
Q: You ran the most recent UNREPwithout your chief onboard. What was it like being in the hot seat?
A: I’ve done this evolution many times, but I’ve never done it without a Chief. Not only that, but this was the first time I’ve worked with a Japan Maritime Self Defense Force oiler at night. That’s the awesome thing about the Navy, you learn to be resilient, accept all challenges, rise to the occasion, and adapt and overcome. We really worked well together as a team, everyone stepped up their game, and it went really smoothly. I realized during the evolution that one day you have to step into a position where you don’t have the safety net, and instead, you are the safety net for everybody else. Now that I know what I’m capable of, I’m more comfortable and confident. I feel safest when I’m wearing the white helmet.
Q: What advice would you give to a new boatswain’s mate entering the Navy?
A: I would tell them to be patient. When you get to your first ship you want to hit the deckplates running. The first question I asked my leading petty officer was, “where are my PQS?” I was super motivated. You come to realize that the Navy is a great big machine. Take the time to really understand everything, dig into the details rather than just skim the surface level stuff. It took me years to get to this point in my career and I still have a lot to learn. You are going to make mistakes, and that’s ok! Learn from your mistakes, you will get better and smarter. If you are patient, kind to yourself, and learn from mistakes, you’ll be successful.
| Date Taken: | 03.08.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.08.2021 03:37 |
| Story ID: | 390799 |
| Location: | YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP |
| Hometown: | NORTHGLENN, CO, US |
| Web Views: | 730 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Deckplate Leader: Meet BM1 Sterritt, Barry’s Senior Sailor of the Quarter, by LTJG Emilio Mackie, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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