Photo By Burrell Parmer | NAVAL AIR STATION CORPUS CHRISTI – (July 22, 2021) Gas Turbine Systems Technician...... read more read more
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SAN ANTONIO (NNS) – For Gas Turbine Systems Technician (Mechanical) 2nd Class Dakota Wiltshire-Wallace, of Ingleside, Texas, the measurement of his success wouldn’t be tarnished by one mistake, rather it would redirect him onto a life-course charted for better days.
Wiltshire-Wallace had a challenging upbringing that, at its hardest point, resulted in him getting arrested at 17 years old for larceny, but that became a turning point for him.
“After my incident, I went to my recruiting office in Portland and tried to join,” said Wiltshire-Wallace. “After being told I didn’t meet requirements, I began to work out and started losing weight. About a month later, I was finally within standards and shipped to Recruit Training Command in 2015.”
Over time the Navy changed his life and he eventually wanted to help offer the same to other people. That brought him back to the recruiting office, but this time it was to be a recruiter and give a new future to people seeking a better life.
Currently a talent scout assigned to Navy Recruiting Station (NRS) Corpus Christi, Wiltshire-Wallace is happily married with a son and thankful for what the Navy has done for him and his family.
“The Navy has allowed me to begin my college education and purchase my first home,” said Wiltshire-Wallace. “It has made me into a role model for my son and, most importantly, has allowed me to provide for my family.”
According to Wiltshire-Wallace, he ultimately became a recruiter because he believes the Navy can change a person’s life.
“I am a prime example of it! I went from being a high school graduate with absolutely no skills or trades to a successful 24-year-old,” said Wiltshire-Wallace. “I wanted to show other people how the Navy can create a positive impact on their lives.”
Wiltshire-Wallace’s favorite part of recruiting is receiving feedback from the men and women he recruits. He says it’s always a great feeling when he gets a call from one of his future Sailors thanking him for pushing them to use the United Services Military Apprenticeship Program and Navy Credentialing Opportunities On-Line.
Although recruiting America’s best and brightest can be challenging, Wiltshire-Wallace wants his future Sailors to know that his objective is to help them achieve their goals. Balancing work and home life, he ensures that he is accessible to those who want to join the Navy.
During his one-year tour of recruiting, Wiltshire-Wallace has been awarded two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals and completed two additional college classes while helping 30 young men and women chase after their dreams of becoming U.S. Sailors.
Wiltshire-Wallace’s near-term goal is to promote to petty officer first class and finish his bachelor’s degree. His long-term goal is to be selected as Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy (MCPON).
“I tend to make a joke about how the MCPON will have to drag me out of the Navy, but I truthfully mean to remain in the Navy as long as I can,” said Wiltshire-Wallace. “The Navy has given me the ability to go to college, navigate the real estate market and properly invest my money to make it work for me.
The Sailors I work with have become my family. They are the ones I lean on for support and guidance. If it wasn’t for the amazing teams at NRS Corpus Christi and NRS Portland, I would not be where I am today.”
Wiltshire-Wallace stated that positive mindsets will lead to success.
“Project yourself to where you want to be and remember, to climb a mountain, you have to take that first step,” said Wiltshire-Wallace. “Never allow someone else or your past to dictate where you end up in life. You are the only one who controls your destiny. Most importantly, invest in yourself for you are your biggest asset.”
NTAG San Antonio’s area of responsibility includes two Talent Acquisition Onboarding Centers (TAOC) which manage more than 34 Navy Recruiting Stations and Navy Officer Recruiting Stations spread throughout 144,000 square miles of Central and South Texas territory.
NRC consists of a command headquarters, three Navy Recruiting Regions, 26 NTAGs, and 64 TAOCs that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations around the world. Their mission is to attract the highest quality candidates to assure the ongoing success of America’s Navy.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http://www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/MyNAVYHR), Twitter (@USNRecruiter) and Instagram (@USNRecruiter).
| Date Taken: | 07.23.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 07.23.2021 18:39 |
| Story ID: | 401655 |
| Location: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 662 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, South Texas Recruiter Is Proof That the Navy Can Change Lives, by Burrell Parmer, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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