Upon graduating from the Naval Academy in 1999, Cancel chosen aviation and went to flight college to earn her wings.
“I all the time discovered myself proud to be an American,” mentioned Cancel. “I’m pleased with my nation and what we stand for — freedom of faith, freedom of speech — and I’ve all the time felt it was my responsibility to make sure that these liberties are safe for all of us in America, and that America continues to supply an instance of these issues to the world.”
Cancel touts flying MH-60 helicopters within the Persian Gulf with the “Screaming Indians” of Helicopter Sea Fight Squadron Six and crusing aboard USS Ronald Regan (CVN 76) on its inaugural voyage round South America as the 2 predominant highlights of her active-duty profession.
Cancel transferred from lively responsibility to the Navy Reserve in 2008, after which she turned a civilian flight teacher the place she continued to share her love of flying along with her college students. She has additionally continued to flourish as a pacesetter and has served a number of excursions within the Navy Reserve as a commanding officer.
“I actually get pleasure from flying helicopters, I cherished the mission,” mentioned Cancel. “I cherished serving my nation, and I needed to maintain doing that.”
Cancel additionally used the citizen-Sailor side of her Navy Reserve profession to allow her to show in one other approach. She now teaches center college Spanish and is taking graduate programs in schooling.
“Lecturers have all the time made a giant impression on me,” Cancel mentioned. “I’ve all the time needed to have the ability to impression individuals’s lives and assist them make good selections — possibly encourage them to hitch the Navy?”
When requested concerning the distinction between educating pilots and educating center schoolers, Cancel displays that there’s surprisingly little distinction.
“I believe I take a few of my army demeanor into the classroom, which the center college children respect as a result of I deal with them extra like adults, however I even have very excessive requirements. That mutual respect makes them wish to meet these requirements.”
Within the classroom, on the flight line, or serving as a commanding officer, Cancel brings the identical dedication and motivation to every thing she does.
“At the beginning, I consider myself as a Sailor within the Navy, like another,” Cancel mentioned. “I simply all the time attempt to be simple and do my finest, serve my nation, and assist different individuals.”
