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Throughout my life I have encountered many people who have made an impact and influenced me, either in a positive or negative way. Determining who has influenced my life the most is a very difficult question to answer because I have met many inspirational people who have influenced me along my road and helped me to learn life’s lessons. I will never forget that day when I arrived in Okinawa, Japan. I was just 19 years old, away from my family for the first time, in a completely different country and on the other side of the world. I met JoAnna Mendoza, also known as Sergeant Mendoza; a very lively, outgoing person who welcomed me with open arms, a big smile and enthusiasm and who made an impression on me that I will carry throughout the rest of my life.
JoAnna Mendoza was one of the only women in my unit to approach me and welcome me to my new unit. I then suspected JoAnna probably looked at the scared and sad look in my eyes when I arrived to the barracks and determined she would take me under her wing. I felt as Marguerite, from “Sister Flowers,” when she said, “I was liked and what a difference it made.” I was lost and did not have a clue as to what I was supposed to do. I had never been away from my parents and I was going to be stationed there for two years. As soon as she introduced herself to me and showed me around the area, I knew that she would become a really good friend and I would look up to her as a mentor and hope I may become a good leader, just like she was.
There were so many moments in my life as a Marine that I did not really know how to respond to situations or tasks but JoAnna was always able to steer me in the right direction. She was always calm and kept everything under control, she really embodied the spirit of the Marine Corps leadership traits: justice, judgment, dependability, initiative, decisiveness, tact, integrity, endurance, bearing, unselfishness, courage, knowledge, loyalty and enthusiasm. She...