MARINE CORPS AIR STATION MIRAMAR, Calif. -- Sgt. Thamya Morales, the embarkation chief with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 161, started her Marine Corps career in 2011.
Morales was responsible for coordinating logistics for the squadron’s deployment for training (DFT) excercise at Creech Air Force Base, Nevada, Dec. 1 to 14.
An embark specialist is trained to prepare equipment and supplies for shipment to facilitate training exercises and deployments as well as assisting with the movement of troops, supplies and equipment.
“Being the embark chief, what my job entails is getting the entire squadron and all of the gear from point A to point B,” said Morales. “Without my job, the unit wouldn’t be able to deploy.”
Morales holds a lot of responsibilities to ensure the “Greyhawks” are able to accomplish their mission.
“For this DFT, she was in charge of the whole embarkation process,” said Gunnery Sgt. Dimtirius Dudley, logistics chief with VMM-161. “She coordinated everything with the Air Force to see what we needed to do logistically to be able to have support from them and was responsible for all of the movement of the gear and finding the squadron housing.”
Morales hopes to instill her work ethic into the Marines she leads.
“I always try to be there for them so they have trust and confidence in me as a leader,” said Morales. “I push my Marines to increase their knowledge through training.”
Morales reenlisted in September and plans to continue advancing her career in the Marine Corps.
“I could definitely see her eventually becoming a logistics chief in the future and excelling,” said Dudley. “She has that on-site experience that I think will take her even farther in her career.”