“We had a family emergency and my brother and his wife could not look after their five kids. We come from a small family and there wasn’t anyone who could take the kids, so I opened up my home to them and adopted all five. Had I not done so, they would have been separated because it was highly unlikely for a stranger to adopt five kids. Especially since the oldest was thirteen at the time. I was very close to them, so I figured it was something I could do.

I was single at the time I took the kids in and living in studio in Carlsbad. It wasn’t easy living all of us together in such a small space, but my command was a huge support network and helped me out as much as they could until I was able to receive base housing.

I was already close to each of them and they are great kids, so it wasn’t difficult to take them in. It was a rough time for them and they were excited to live with me and have some stability. At first they asked if they could call me ‘Mom.’ They tried it out for a while, but ultimately went back to calling me ‘Aunt Misty’ because that’s how they’ve always known me. They still love their parents, so I try to foster a relationship with them as much as possible.

I did have to transition from being the cool aunt to being a mother figure. It was awkward disciplining them at first. But they definitely see me as a parent now, especially the younger ones since they don’t remember me much as the ‘cool aunt.’. For my oldest niece it was a harder transition going from ‘pals’ to being her parent. We do have a very special relationship because she understands the impact of having them come live with me at that point of their lives.

I love every single one of them and I see them as if they were my own kids.

I think I’m a better Marine because of the kids, and I think I’m a better parent because of the Marine Corps.”

"The Navajo reservation I lived in was about an hour away from the closest town, so it was difficult to shop for groceries. Because of this, my dad grew our own crops and livestock. We would have to haul water from the mountains. Our family is very traditional. Before I went to boot camp, there was a ceremony performed for me. In my grandfather's words it was 'releasing a warrior to war.' We went up to a mountain and tied a feather to a tree. Once I do my time in the military I have to go back and retrieve that feather. I still keep up with my traditions while I am here. Every morning I wake up before the sun rises and pray. I still speak Navajo, especially with my grandparents because that's all they speak. The jewelry and clothes we wear, we make by hand. I plan on passing our traditions to my future kids and to emphasize the importance of family. I am proud of my heritage."

"Life here is very different than from the reservation. Everything is provided here. Water, electricity, food, ect., come easily. When I lived in the reservation, my grandma would wake me up as soon as the sun rose and I had to get ready to start the day. I would help take care of our crops and livestock which included lugging water or picking weeds out of the fields. It definitely taught me to be humble. I'm proud of being Native American, but sometimes it's hard being how we are and living our lives. There are treaties being broken and our lands being taken over like the North Dakota pipeline for example. My family, my heritage means everything to me and being in the military, hopefully I can be a voice for them."

"Being Native American in the military is something special for me because of the Navajo Code Talkers. Unfortunately, the language is dying down. I'm proud that my family taught me the language and that I am still able to speak it. I hope more Navajo people continue learning the language. It's something that they should be proud of. Tradition and heritage should continue to be passed down, but it's something that falls on each family. I thank my family for everything they have done for me. My family and my heritage mean everything to me. All their teachings and lectures made me the man I am today."

“A lot of the equipment these technicians are using they may have never seen before this exercise, and it’s giving them a greater knowledge and appreciation for what they have to work with,” said Lt. Ryan Larson, an entomologist with 1st Med Bn.

The technicians were placed in a field environment to simulate a deployed scenario and the unique challenges that accompany it.

The technicians set up a field chow hall and a waste sanitation pit, to drain and evaporate the waste in an environmentally safe way, according to Larson.

Specialized instructors worked with the technicians to discuss hot and cold weather injuries, and how to handle injuries from venomous snakes.

“Our technicians are working with instructors from the Navy Environmental Preventative Medicine Unit and are getting training that most medical technicians wouldn’t get the chance to have,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Michael Matthews, a preventative medicine technician with 1st Med Bn. “Becoming more proficient in your craft and stepping out of your comfort zone are both expected and required from these technicians.”

This exercise was an opportunity for the technicians to take an in depth look at the equipment they have at their disposal and the knowledge they need to be successful in more austere environments.

“We send preventative medical technicians all over the world to support missions and they need to know the gear they have, inside and out, for whatever situation they may find themselves in,” said Larson.

Preventative medicine can establish a healthy field environment, so that Marines and Sailors can accomplish a mission without worrying about having basic needs met.

“We have the gear and the instructors, and it’s now up to them to get the most out of the experience,” said Matthews.

Story by Lance Cpl. Joseph Sorci
Video by Lance Cpl. Austin Mealy