Favorite Parts of Working in the United States Navy as a Meteorology and Oceanography Officer
Colleen most enjoys the connections forged through shared experiences within the Navy and meteorology fields, noting that while the industry seems large, it's surprisingly small, and these connections offer opportunities for growth and support, reminding them "that you are part of a much bigger organization". Colleen values learning about the journeys and hardships of others, recognizing that this shared understanding fosters camaraderie and resilience, especially during challenging times like deployments.
Teamwork, Shared Experiences, Networking, Mentorship, Military Culture
Advizer Information
Name
Job Title
Company
Undergrad
Grad Programs
Majors
Industries
Job Functions
Traits
Colleen Wilmington
Meteorology and Oceanography Officer
United States Navy
University of Kansas
Naval Postgraduate School
English, Writing & Education
Government & Public Sector, Manufacturing, Operations & Supply Chain
Operations and Project Management
Scholarship Recipient, Took Out Loans, Worked 20+ Hours in School, Veteran, Student Athlete
Video Highlights
1. Enjoying the People: The speaker emphasizes the importance of the people in the meteorology and Navy industries. They value the opportunities to engage with junior sailors and connect with colleagues, highlighting the sense of community and shared experiences.
2. Networking Opportunities: The speaker describes the industries as large but also small, emphasizing the opportunity to connect with others based on shared experiences and build a reliable network for growth and support.
3. Overcoming Hardships Together: The speaker touches on the importance of understanding colleagues' backgrounds and the hardships they've overcome. This understanding fosters a sense of camaraderie and mutual support, especially during challenging times like deployments.
Transcript
What do you enjoy most about being in the meteorology industry, and as a part of the navy industry as a whole?
It's really the people that I enjoy the most. It's the opportunities to engage with junior sailors.
Even today I learned that one of the commanders I work with was on my ship at the same time in a completely different department. It's realizing that while this industry is very large, it's also small when you look at it relative to the global scale.
Being able to connect with someone because you now have a shared experience you didn't realize before opens up a whole new opportunity to grow and have people you can rely on. It's also about learning where people came from or the hardships they dealt with to get to where they are.
You never know who people truly are because you can't stand in their shoes. You don't know what everybody has been through, but knowing that you're there together and that you're not alone does a lot to get through deployments and difficult support.
Whether you're still active duty or retired, everyone ties back to their time in the Navy or military. It makes you realize that you are part of a much bigger organization.
Advizer Personal Links
linkedin.com/in/colleen-wilmington