Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Camilo E Fernan | Gunner’s Mate 1st Class Elizabeth Saner poses for a portrait photo at Recruit...... read more read more
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Meet GM1 Elizabeth Saner! She is a #GunnersMate currently serving as a Pre-Small Arms Marksmanship Instructor… Instructor, or Pre-SAMI Instructor, at #RecruitTrainingCommand , the #Navy’s only #bootcamp
Several months ago, Petty Officer Saner bought an old, fixer-upper house that was built in the ‘40s. She spent a lot of time renovating it, and doesn’t shy away from tasks like cleaning up a damp basement or installing a sump pump.
Saner is optimistic and hardy. She worked in fire rescue, and for her dad in a mechanic shop back home in #Mariposa #California . GM1 did not want to work in an office when she signed up for the Navy in #SanJose
“My mom was in the Navy in the ‘90s. I just felt like it was the right choice. I wanted a career and not to waste time in college. I felt like a lot of people wasted their time in college looking for the wrong venture instead of actually getting an education.”
Saner’s first ship was #USSHalsey (DDG-97) . Her specialty was operating 5-inch guns, and she was determined to learn and grow.
“I felt like just one of the guys. I used to take .50 cals up to the flight deck, help them out with whatever they needed, and work really hard hours, and just be one of the division.”
Now at RTC, Saner is a Petty Officer 1st Class, and finds herself in an office a bit more often. She is expected to lead and manage other Sailors. GM1 also prepares experienced Sailors before they go to SAMI school, where the notorious difficulty can cause students to drop on the first day.
“My job is to make sure they have all the tools to pass SAMI, which has a very high attrition rate. When I graduated SAMI, only 12 people graduated out of 34 that entered.”
The experience has encouraged her to tap into her ability to speak authoritatively to others.
“I can just communicate what my expectations are, now that I have a voice. Before, I felt like I had to work myself into the ground to communicate.”
Saner expects to move on to another destroyer after her tour at RTC. Until then, she plans to continue starting new projects for her house, and spend time exploring #Chicagoland by enjoying the outdoors and trying out new food.
#Hooyah GM1 Saner!
| Date Taken: | 07.07.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.07.2021 12:32 |
| Story ID: | 400456 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 120 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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