Salinas Native Excels With Navy Command in Italy

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Erika Kugler | Yeoman Seaman Angela MelendezVargas poses for a photo as Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central Junior Sailor of the Quarter, June 2, 2021. Navy Region EURAFCENT oversees nine installations in seven countries across three combatant commands. (U.S. Navy photo illustration by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Erika L. Kugler)  

NAPLES, ITALY

06.01.2021

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Erika Kugler 

Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central

NAPLES, Italy—Commander, Navy Region Europe, Africa, Central (EURAFCENT) recognized one of its Sailors of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2021.
Rear Adm. Scott Gray presented Yeoman Seaman Angela MelendezVargas, a native of Salinas, Puerto Rico, with the command’s Junior Sailor of the Quarter award on May 21.
“Seaman MelendezVargas hit the ground running,” said Lt. j.g. Matthew Gordon, the administrative officer for Navy Region EURAFCENT. “She is trusted to assist high-ranking officers in their day to day duties, as well as handle her administrative duties. Her willingness to learn, eagerness to perform and positive demeanor contribute greatly to the team as a whole.”
MelendezVargas joined the Navy out of Florida in 2019. She saw the Navy as a way out of a hard situation.
“I really wasn’t in a good place,” said MelendezVargas. “My recruiter, along with the other recruiters, saw me in my situation and were able to help me get away from it.”
Her hardship didn’t end when she joined. An issue during boot camp put her future in the Navy at risk, but she persevered.
“I fought hard to be in the Navy,” said MelendezVargas. “And once again I had someone who saw something in me, my recruit division commander, who helped me get through.”
MelendezVargas is in charge of the command’s Department of the Navy TRACKER program, which coordinates tasking between all departments at Navy Region EURAFCENT and other commands. She also coordinated Permanent Change of Station (PCS) Exception to Policy (ETP) requests, helping Sailors and civilian personnel return home and transfer to new duty stations during the COVID-19 pandemic.
For MelendezVargas, being selected as Navy Region EURAFCENT’s Junior Sailor of the Quarter is even more special because of the dedication and hard work she puts in daily.
“Being at a flag staff billet you have to get a lot of work done,” said MelendezVargas. “It is long hours but I did it, so now I know I can do that hard work when before it felt overwhelming. Being named Junior Sailor of the Quarter shows that [leadership] can see everything I fought so hard to prove and that means a lot to me.”
The Sailor of the Quarter Program was established by the Chief of Naval Operations to recognize junior enlisted personnel who act as role models of Navy professionalism and personal dedication.
Navy Region EURAFCENT oversees nine installations in seven countries, enabling U.S., allied and partner nation forces to be where and when they are needed in order to ensure security and stability in the European, African, and Central Command areas of responsibility.

• Date Taken: 06.01.2021
• Date Posted: 06.07.2021 02:02
• Story ID: 398122
• Location: NAPLES, IT
• Hometown: SALINAS, PR