Military Service
U.S. Navy Seaman
Experience
4 years served
Future
Seeking a career in government, policy, & international affairs
Location
Great Lakes, IL
About Dakota
I grew up with the small town Iowa life. After one year of college I joined the Navy. I was first stationed in Pensacola, Florida as an Airman Aprentice attending Aircrew canidate school. Shortly after I struck for Hospital Corpsman, I attended Hospital Corps School in San Antonio Texas. I finished Corps school and continued to the Naval Dental Assisting school. I then was stationed in Great Lakes, Illinois with a four year billet. In Great Lakes I have had the opertunity to work on Recruit Training Command, TSC Great Lakes and the Captain James A. Lovell Federal health care center (VA Hospital). I did a rotaion in Medical research ward at the hospital and then worked as a Dental Technician in a branch dental clinic. I have been able to do a little bit of everything from assisting in general dentistry, endodontics, perio surgery, oral surgery and dental radiology. After becoming acclimated and having some seniority I was able to learn an administration side to patient care from a hospital stand point and dental as I worked in Dental Liaison. I then continued to learn and practice administration and leadership duties as I was appointed to the position of Work space supervisor for the general dentistry department in my clinic. I also took on colateral duties as well, including Infection control and the primary safety representative for my clinic. I have a passion for foriegn language and culture. This is one thing I was able to learn about myself serving in the Navy. Even being state side my favorite part was living in different parts of the country. I have self studied foriegn languages while being in the Navy with the many great tools provided. I am most proficient in French as I had studied it as well as German prior to my service. While serving I have studied Tagalog and Spanish. I am not an expert yet I enjoy having as much of the conversations in those languages as I can. I am still serving and am close to my transition. I have some worries about transitioning out. Not about being out of the Navy more so with the overlap of when one job ends and another begins. I plan on going to school full time and finishing a bachelor's. I am very excited to start a new journey.