Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Andrew Waters | 220315-N-PI330-1005 GULFPORT, Mississippi (March 15, 2023) Lt. Cmdr. Briana Platukis,...... read more read more
GULFPORT, Mississippi- On March 15, 2023, Lt. Cmdr. Briana Platukis became one of the first women to earn a warfare pin in four of the Naval warfare areas that supply officers serve in.
Platukis is currently serving as the supply officer for Naval Construction Battalion 133 (NMCB 133), where she earned her Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist (SCWS) (Officer) pin and her Navy Expeditionary Supply Warfare Officer pin, two of her five overall warfare qualifications.
Platukis is a native of Sonoma, Calif. and enlisted in the Navy as an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman in 2006 after obtaining two bachelor’s degrees in journalism and anthropology from the University of Hawaii at Manoa. While she was completing her first tour on the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), her leadership approached her about putting in a package to commission.
“I got there and was working in AIMD (aircraft intermediate maintenance department),” said Platukis. “My maintenance officer was like, ‘Hi, welcome aboard,’ he looked at my record and said, ‘You have two bachelor's degrees. Why are you not an officer?’” said Platukis.
After a year and a half on the Lincoln and earning her Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist pin, she was enrolled in officer candidate school (OCS), training to become a supply officer. After going through OCS and supply corps school, she eventually arrived at her first assignment as the disbursing officer on the Oliver Hazard Perry-class frigate USS Boone (FFG 28) where she earned her Surface Warfare Supply Corps Officer (SWSCO) pin.
“I had a unique experience there as well; I've not had a common career,” said Platukis with a laugh. “I actually had a surprise pregnancy a year and a half into the tour and got sent to staff duty at Fleet Logistics Center, Jacksonville. After I finished maternity leave, I called my commanding officer to ask if I could finish my SWSCO.”
Platukis went back to USS Boone with six weeks left before the ship would be decommissioned to finish her qualification. After lots of studying, Platukis was able to earn her pin.
“I did my final board as they were berth-shifting to the pier where they were going to decommission,” said Platukis. “I stood on the bridge with the CO, we did the board, and I walked off the brow and was pinned on the pier.”
Platukis finished her time at Fleet Logistics Center, Jacksonville and transferred to Defense Contract Management Agency, Minneapolis, Minnesota for shore duty. After completing her time on shore duty, her next operational tour would be on the Ohio-class submarine USS Ohio (SSGN 726).
While aboard the Ohio, Platukis had the opportunity to earn her Submarine Supply Corps insignia; however, this would be met with its own challenges. The Ohio began a deployment shortly after Platukis arrived during which time she started working on her qualification. Not long after the deployment was over, the boat went into dry-dock in the shipyards.
“I had to go ride other boats to finish because the Dolphins -a name for submarine warfare devices- process is qualifications based,” stated Platukis. “I went to the USS Nevada twice and spent a total of about six weeks with them to finish up my practical factors.”
After this process, Platukis was able to complete her boards on the Ohio, earning her a third warfare pin. Shortly thereafter, she attended the U.S. Naval War College and was redesignated as a full-time support supply officer, essentially making her a reservist filling active-duty orders.
“Our specialty is the administration of the reserves and expeditionary,” said Platukis. “We have a big foothold in cargo handling, Seabees and other things like that.”
After a 15-month stint at the Defense Logistics Agency in Fort Belvoir, Virginia managing reserve units, she got a call that someone was needed to fill a billet with the Seabees at NMCB 133.
While working at NMCB 133, Platukis was able to earn both her Seabee Combat Warfare Specialist (officer) pin and her Navy Expeditionary Supply Corps Officer pin.
“The advice I got was to work SCWS first because it’s the only chance I would ever have to get the pin,” said Platukis. “They were so similar I was able to work on them simultaneously though. I was also able to get help from a couple of expeditionary supply officers on the stuff that didn’t overlap with the Seabees.”
Spending time in each of these warfare areas has given Platukis a wide variety of experience within the supply officer community, and it has served her well throughout her career. During her time with NMCB 133, this experience helped her lead her team to earn the Blue “E” Award for Supply Excellence.
“It’s all very different,” said Platukis. “Every time I go to a new community, I’m always the guy who doesn’t know anything about the community. I just have to build on my general supply and logistics knowledge to figure out how to do the job.”
Platukis is excited for her future assignments and the possibility of promoting to commander She has already set herself apart by being one of the first women to earn a pin in each supply warfare area, and even though her “wings” are from her time as an enlisted Sailor, she says that to her they are just as good as any golden pair for officers.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.25.2023 10:41 |
| Story ID: | 442478 |
| Location: | GULFPORT, MS, US |
| Hometown: | SONOMA, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 580 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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