Photo By Chief Petty Officer Justin Stumberg | Lt. Krista Yarbrough, logistics officer assigned to 22nd Naval Construction Regiment...... read more read more
Lt. Krista Yarbrough was elbow-deep in grease, wiping down a galley grill when Culinary Specialist 2nd Class Schultz raised an eyebrow.
“Ma’am, you know we have mess cranks for that, right?” said Schultz.
She just kept scrubbing.
It was her first division officer tour, her first inspection, and her first real test as a leader. Her Sailors were pulling long hours to prep. She could’ve supervised from the sidelines. She didn’t.
“That was my dad’s voice in my head,” Yarbrough said. “He always said, ‘Don’t call your people in on the weekend if you’re not going to be there too.’”
Before she was tracking cargo flights across continents or moving gear through war games in the Baltics, Yarbrough was a kid listening to her dad’s Army stories. Some wild, some probably half-true, but all ending with the same lesson: good officers don’t bark. They lead.
Roots and Rivalries
Now serving as the assistant logistic officer for the 22nd Naval Construction Regiment (NCR) in Rota, Spain, Yarbrough views her service as one link in a long chain. Her parents both wore Army green in the ‘80’s. Her uncle served in the Coast Guard. Her brother deployed twice with the Air Force. She calls it her “Armed Forces Rainbow.”
And every year, like clockwork, her family gets into a spirited debate: Who will win the Army-Navy game? She of course roots for Navy but the house is divided.
But their legacy wasn’t about medals or ceremony. Her father grew up in a Georgia household with 12 siblings and keeping food on the table a top concern. He enlisted in the Army without telling a soul. Her mother emigrated from Grenada and quietly became the fastest runner in her unit without making a big deal of it.
“They didn’t lecture. They just lived,” said Yarbrough. “And I learned.”
OCS: The Shin-Splint Season
At Officer Candidate School (OCS) things didn’t come easy. She failed her first physical readiness test. Then came stress fractures in both legs. The pain made every step a test. As the program progressed, the number of her classmates began to dwindle. Then came the performance review board.
“They were there to weed people out,” she said. “And I was looking real weedy.”
She could’ve given up. Instead, she stayed with her H-class, studied harder, cheered louder, and kept moving. Even if it meant limping to the end, she wasn’t going to give in. When she finally classed up, it wasn’t just about passing.
“That taught me that not everyone has ‘never say die’ baked in. Some people need a cheerleader. Someone to say, ‘Yeah, this isn't ideal, but you’ll survive it.’”, said Yarbrough.
First Tour: Commas Over Periods
During her first week onboard, Yarbrough faced challenges that tested her leadership and empathy. One of her Sailors was referred to a rehabilitation program to address substance abuse. Another received a DUI and underwent the NJP process. Rather than distancing herself, she chose to listen, mentor, and support their growth. “Don’t let this be a period. Let it be a comma,” said Yarbrough. “And keep going.”
She followed through with consistent mentorship and honest conversations. Both Sailors eventually turned things around.
“It wasn’t just the words,” she said. “It was how I fought for them afterward.”
The Mistake (That Didn’t Sink Her)
She was a brand-new Lieutenant Junior Grade, filling in while her department head was on leave, when she signed off on an unauthorized commitment. No one caught it until her department head returned.
“I could’ve said, ‘I didn’t know. Someone else should’ve caught it.’ But I just said, ‘Yep, that was me. How do I fix it?’”
She went back, found the regulation, read every line, and reported back with trembling hands. Her leadership listened.
“He said it was already handled,” said Yarbrough. “And not to do it again.”
That moment stuck. Not just because she learned the policy but because she saw how a leader can turn a mistake into growth instead of punishment.
Sub Life: Dough, Depth, and Duty
Three months underwater as a department head brought long hours, short fuses, and supply chaos. But Yarbrough kept showing up.
She'd arrive early to meals, chat with junior Sailors, or chat with the night baker until 2 a.m.
“Not because I needed more bread,” she said. “But because I wanted to hear how they were doing.”
Those small gestures mattered. They reminded her team they weren’t just cogs in a mission but real people that matter.
206 Days at Sea: Morale by Nerf Gun
In 2020, liberty ports vanished mid-deployment. The crew ended up spending 206 days at sea highlighted by no land, no new scenery, and no change in the menu.
“Morale was tanking,” Yarbrough said. “So, the Captain had us reenact the Battle of San Jacinto, with nerf guns on the forecastle.”
She wore a Texas flag as a cape. Someone else wore the bull mascot head. It was absurd. And exactly what they needed.
“That ridiculousness? That saved us. It reminded me: morale starts at the top. And sometimes leadership means being human, on purpose,” said Yarbrough.
BALTOPS: Duct Tape and Diplomacy
During exercise Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2025, plans shifted by the hour. Crane schedules, personnel movement, and supply coordination changed by the hour.
“I was in tight contact with my Latvian counterpart daily,” she said. “It felt like holding the whole operation together with duct tape and hopeful vibes.”
But we pulled it off. Gear moved. People were fed. Ops ran on time (if not early).
It taught her something lasting: logistics doesn’t show up in headlines but it keeps everything running.
“People don’t notice logistics when it works. And that’s the goal,” she said. “It only works if you build trust before the crisis.”
Legacy in Motion
Now, as the Navy celebrates 250 years, Yarbrough isn’t just reflecting. She’s mentoring junior Sailors by telling stories with junior Sailors and reminding them leadership is a series of small, consistent choices.
“Legacy isn’t about copying anyone,” she said. “It’s about showing the next person that they belong here too.”
Her advice to new Sailors?
“Don’t expect it to be easy. The Navy doesn’t care about your comfort zone. But it’ll give you exactly what you didn’t know you needed.”
Her parents still write her letters. Still cheer like she’s won the Super Bowl. And they still don’t know port from starboard.
“But they wear the ball caps,” she said. “And they show up. That’s enough.”
| Date Taken: | 12.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 12.23.2025 04:28 |
| Story ID: | 555207 |
| Location: | NAVAL STATION ROTA, ES |
| Web Views: | 14 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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