Photo By Cpl. Bridgette Rodriguez | U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Tairah Payne, a transmission systems operator with 5th...... read more read more
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CAMP HANSEN, Okinawa, Japan - Katana Strike 24 is just one exercise in a series of training evolutions designed to test the innovative concepts that 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company can employ at a moment’s notice. These exceptional capabilities are employed by even more exceptional Marines like Lance Cpl. Tairah Payne.
Payne, a native of Maryland, is a transmission system operator with 5th ANGLICO. During Katana Strike, she recalled the joys and challenges she faced before earning the coveted title of U.S. Marine.
After graduating from high school in 2020, Lance Cpl. Tairah Payne joined the medical field as a pain management specialist before venturing in the primary care field. However, she felt she was lacking a sense of upward progression and personal fulfillment. “All my coworkers were in their thirties or forties and were doing the same job I did and making the same pay I did. I saw myself in them,” said Payne. Payne was determined to make a better future for herself, and she also felt a calling to be part of something bigger.
“I was playing softball after I graduated high school, and I was about to age-out. I missed being a part of something and feeling needed,” said the 21-year-old. “My best friend’s mom, Evelyn, is like a mom to me and told me I would be perfect for the Marine Corps.” Shortly after, Payne enlisted in the Marine Corps and set her sights on a new path of self-determination.
Payne comes from a very close-knit family who were all integral in her upbringing. She recalled how hard it was to leave her big family for recruit training, especially her father. “That was the first time I ever saw my dad cry, and it truly broke my heart. It was hard because I knew my life would be completely different- their life would go on, and I’ll be here.” However difficult, she still found value in her transition to the Marine Corps. “I like what I’m doing, so it was worth the sacrifice,” said Payne.
Payne demonstrated an affinity to the Marine Corps lifestyle early on in her career. Her technical capabilities, drive, and initiative immediately set her apart from her peers. “In my first six months in the fleet I won Marine of the Quarter, and I just won the Meritorious Corporal board last Friday,” said the newly selected corporal of Marines. At any achievement, Payne’s mother would always tell her, “Stay humble, stay hungry,” a phrase that drives her to this day. “I could have the best PFT and CFT, but there’s still better,” she said. “There’s no stopping improvement. I am very motivated, and I always want to do better. I am genuinely a sore loser.”
Payne attributes part of her success to the mentorship of the non-commissioned officers above her and expressed her desire to provide that same mentorship and example to new Marines. “I’ve seen a lot of male NCOs and want to be like them, but I want a PFC to get to the fleet, look at me, and want to be like me. It is going to make me a good NCO because I know how much it meant to me.”
Payne’s family upbringing, individual experiences, and drive to create a better life have shaped her into the high achieving and goal-driven Marine she is today. High-performing and technically proficient Marines like Lance Cpl. Payne are part of what makes 5th ANGLICO one of the premiere units in the Indo-pacific
| Date Taken: | 05.17.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 05.23.2024 23:48 |
| Story ID: | 471936 |
| Location: | JP |
| Hometown: | GLEN BURNIE, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 59 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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