Photo By Chief Petty Officer William Gaskill | GREAT LAKES, Ill. (June 10, 2025) - Operations Specialist 2nd Class Jennifer Bustillo...... read more read more
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Meet Operations Specialist Second Class (OS2) Jennifer Bustillo-Diaz, an instructor at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, the Navy’s only boot camp.
Hailing from Huntington Station in New York City, Bustillo-Diaz joined the Navy seven years ago, driven by a desire to change the direction of her life.
“Early on in my life, I didn’t necessarily make the best choices,” Bustillo-Diaz says. “My actions were reckless, and it took a toll on my family. Even though I struggled through high school and college, I took a criminal justice class taught by a Marine veteran that really changed my mindset. I’d always had the idea since childhood that wearing the uniform and serving my country would be something I would like to do. After taking the class, I decided to act on those instincts. The military has honestly saved my life and given me structure, purpose, and a second chance.”
Before arriving at RTC, Bustillo-Diaz was stationed in Yokosuka, Japan, on USS Curtis Wilbur, and at Navy Region Southwest in San Diego, California. Bustillo-Diaz’s primary responsibilities as an instructor at Future Fleet Group (FFG) include monitoring, tracking, and updating appointment statuses for Sailors post-graduation, ensuring accountability and a seamless transition to “A” schools and follow-on service to the fleet.
Bustillo-Diaz attributes her success in the Navy to her mother, whom she acknowledges as the cornerstone of her support system.
“I remember reporting to USS Curtis Wilbur and showing up with 12 bags filled with literally everything I owned,” she says. “I stood there at the bottom of the brow with all my stuff, wondering how I was going to get all my belongings into this tiny little space that was going to be my new home. I had a moment where I broke down and got very emotional. I called my mom, and she said, ‘Everything bad and good that’s happened to you is meant to sculpt you into the person you need to become.’ She’s always been the voice of reason, and her wise words are something I carry with me when challenges come up along the way.”
Although Bustillo-Diaz has accomplished many of her goals at RTC, her responsibilities come with challenges.
"I’m deeply patriotic and take pride in serving, but not everyone you come into contact with feels the same way you do,” Bustillo-Diaz says. “While their reasons for joining might have been a lot different from mine, I try to remind myself that the point of leadership is to meet people where they are. Sometimes, with patience and guidance, they can grow into the kind of Sailors we want them to be, even if they didn’t start out that way. From this perspective, I can be proud of the role I play in the lives of so many young people who are just beginning their careers."
Bustillo-Diaz’s motivation to shape the future of the Navy is fundamentally anchored in her commitment to service.
“Serving in the Navy is about more than just showing up,” she says. “It’s about being ready to make the hard calls, standing by your shipmates, and the willingness to protect your country no matter what. For me, I’m always willing to put everything on the line, because at the end of the day it’s for something that’s bigger than myself. While a big part of my role here at RTC is to teach people the military regulations for uniform wear and military bearing, for me everything I do is grounded in serving others.”
Looking ahead, Bustillo-Diaz has set ambitious goals for the rest of her naval career.
"My current mindset is to reenlist and attend “C” school here at RTC to become a Recruit Division Commander (RDC). In five years, I envision myself wearing anchors (being selected for chief petty officer). Besides that, I want to get my son Luca involved in sports and be a proud and supportive mother. And who knows, I might even add another little one to the family."
Bustillo-Diaz continues to support the Navy’s mission, embodying the values of service and dedication to inspire future Sailors as they join the fleet.
Boot camp is approximately nine weeks and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness and lessons in Navy heritage and core values, Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 06.13.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.13.2025 12:14 |
| Story ID: | 500566 |
| Location: | ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | HUNTINGTON STATION, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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