Between freshman year and graduation, college students stress about finding a career in their field of study when they enter the “real world.” Dyamond Gleaves, junior psychology major on the other hand, has been very confident in what her next move will be after receiving her diploma; she will be joining the United States Navy.
Gleaves grew up in the lifestyle. She and her younger brother were born in Hawaii and lived for the first few years of life on base there.
“Both of my parents were in the Navy. They instilled in me the values and morals they prided themselves in having. I knew from a very young age that I wanted to join the military.”
With uniformed seven services of the United States, it is an important decision to decide on which one would be a right fit for her. She toyed with the idea of joining a different branch but always came back to the Navy.
“I like what the Navy stands for and my parents always spoke so highly of it,” Gleaves stated. “I kinda knew it was more of a decision of when rather than what.”
Gleaves initially wanted to jump right into training out of high school. She did her research and knew that initial and continued education opportunities through the Navy were available for anyone with a high school diploma or college degree.
After talking with her parents, Gleaves decided that the smartest move for her would be to attend college first and enlist second.
When Gleaves talked to her mother, a woman speaking from experience, her mother gave her a piece of advice. She explained to her daughter that it becomes harder to start higher education after finishing her contract than it would be to continue her education or jump right into the working world out of the Navy.
“[Joining after college] really was the smartest decision for me,” Gleaves admitted. “By entering after college, I will have an officer ranking instead of starting at recruit which would be the case if I joined right out of high school.”
So what does Dyamond Gleaves hope to do in the Navy and in her future? As a psychology major, Gleaves wants to become a counselor for families of soldiers overseas or soldiers who have returned home from war. Whether she is helping a mother to cope with raising her children, working and worrying about her husband or soldiers and veterans suffering with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Gleaves wants to help in any way that she can.
“Ideally, I want to work with children,” Gleaves said. “There has never been a concrete reason behind it. I just love children and understand that they need help dealing with family members being deployed just like an adult does.”
The Navy’s unofficial motto is “Non sibi sed patriae.” It is Latin for “Not for self but for country.” mission is to maintain, train and equip combat-ready Naval forces capable of winning wars, deterring aggression and maintaining freedom of the seas.
“I want to do something to help someone other than myself. By counseling families and soldiers is a small way I can contribute my time and energy to helping others.”
