Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Christopher OGrady | Boatswain's Mate 2nd Class Rodneika poses for a portrait photo at Recruit Training...... read more read more
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Meet BM2 Rodneika Byrd! She is currently a #BattleStationsFacilitator at the #Navy ‘s only #BootCamp.
“I joined the Navy to basically just get out of my hometown of #Kenner , #Louisiana and see more. I just wanted to get a better experience than what I had because it's really a small town. So the Navy seemed like the better route for me.”
Byrd had known that what she was looking for in the Navy wasn’t going to be a desk job. She wanted the adventure of a #BoatswainsMate .
“I wanted the hands-on job. I am not a paperwork person, I’m not someone who can sit behind a desk all day. They gave me a bunch of different jobs. I saw Boatswain’s Mate, I read the description and I knew I wanted to be a Boatswain’s Mate.”
Byrd feels like she has chosen the best rate in the Navy after her experiences and time in service.
“I feel like being a Boatswains, you just get the respect that everyone kind of wishes they had. Everyone, no matter whatever rate it is, they look up to Boatswain’s Mates. Like well-respected because of how much work they put in, in my opinion.”
BM2 knew even when she went through Recruit Training Command as a Recruit, she would be coming back.
“When I first joined and I came through bootcamp, I saw my Recruit Division Commanders (RDC) and said, ‘oh, I want to do that. I'm definitely coming back and being an RDC.’ Then at my last duty station, Southeast Regional Maintenance Center, I trained a lot there and I enjoyed seeing what I train, seeing my work on other people. So, I guess seeing the outcome.”
Training Sailors isn’t something all that new to BM2. She’s led and trained as a BM since her first steps in the Navy.
“I feel like it made, made me a better leader. Made me more equipped to basically train. As a Boatswain’s Mate, [you start] from Boatswain’s Mate Seaman (BMSN) and you're already put in charge of junior Sailors. So I feel like that prepared me to come here. That prepared me to do other jobs and lead.”
Being in a leadership position so early in her Navy career, BM2 started out taking charge of the Underway Replenishment locker on the USS Nimitz as a BMSN. A crucial part of being able to keep U.S. Navy Ships underway.
“I learned a lot about leadership even as a seaman. I remember having a first class on the USS Nimitz who taught me, ‘we don't get rid of our problems. We work with it and we see how we can help. Help that sailor and move forward. You don't just pass it onto somebody else.’ I feel like that helped me become a better leader and Sailor.”
Byrd appreciates the recognition from her command and them noticing her hard work.
| Date Taken: | 03.10.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.15.2022 16:18 |
| Story ID: | 416520 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 162 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Recruit Training Command Staff in the Spotlight, by PO1 Christopher OGrady, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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