Capt. Dave Pollard, commanding officer of George H.W. Bush, praised Sandifer’s management and dedication to Sailors.
“Gun Boss demonstrates daily what it means to be a frontrunner. The values she embodies and her pure capability to be an encourager and champion of Sailors throughout George H.W. Bush have been an enormous profit from essentially the most junior Sailors aboard our ship to essentially the most senior,” mentioned Pollard.
“It’s due to leaders like her who put within the effort every day to make a distinction within the lives of these round her – setting the instance for these they serve – that we’re the deterrent power we’re in the present day. Very like our namesake, she lives a lifetime of ‘ceiling and visibility limitless.’”
As a younger girl, Sandifer labored tirelessly to flee what she describes because the “slums.” Making an attempt to keep away from what she knew was more likely to be a useless finish, she relied on the self-discipline instilled in her by her mom and grandmother and enlisted within the U.S. Navy.
“I knew my household couldn’t afford for me to go to school, however I knew I wished to get on the market and make a distinction,” mentioned Sandifer. “I’m the primary one in my household to ever be a part of the navy. I figured why not get on the market and see what occurs.”
Sandifer, a New York native, enlisted the U.S. Navy in August 1991 as an aviation ordnanceman airman.
When Sandifer graduated “A” faculty, ladies weren’t but allowed to serve aboard plane carriers so her first command was a P-3 squadron. As the primary girl within the P-3 store, it was there she discovered she would wish to determine herself in a subject dominated by males.
“I labored exhausting to indicate I used to be simply as succesful as the lads I labored with,” mentioned Sandifer. “I competed to defy my leaders’ expectations and as soon as my shipmates realized I used to be each bit as devoted and succesful as them, I earned their respect.”
After working to advance, and selecting up a knack for main Sailors alongside the best way, Sandifer started to look to her future. It wasn’t lengthy earlier than she discovered concerning the alternatives of incomes a fee, and set her sights on conducting that purpose.
Her path to commissioning was filled with challenges and required perseverance. She utilized for the Restricted Obligation Officer (LDO) program a number of occasions earlier than lastly incomes her fee on Might 1, 2006.
As a newly minted naval officer, Sandifer absorbed all of the steerage she may from mentors and function fashions. One bit of recommendation she nonetheless carriers along with her in the present day – and tries to instill in her Sailors – is from retired Capt. Michael Value.
“He used to inform me ‘if it doesn’t problem you, it doesn’t change you,’” mentioned Sandifer. “I’ve tried to face each problem head on and to encourage my Sailors to do the identical.”
Sandifer will full her tenth deployment when she departs George H.W. Bush this week, and in all her experiences at sea, there’s one factor she cherishes above all else.
“The best achievement of my profession is with the ability to assist my Sailors,” mentioned Sandifer. “Nothing compares to realizing your crew is reaching the unachievable.”
And in residing out her values and ideas every day, she supplies inspiration for younger Sailors to realize their targets and highest aspirations.
“As a younger feminine Sailor, seeing a frontrunner reminiscent of her conjures up me to be robust and to shine a brighter path for the way forward for ladies within the Navy,” mentioned Aviation Ordnanceman Airman Lily Cook dinner. “That’s what she has finished for us.”
Sandifer’s deployment aboard with the Nimitz-class plane service USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) earned her a spot in naval historical past as the primary girl deployed because the ordnance dealing with officer (OHO) on the East Coast.
She additionally served as the primary feminine power OHO, and is the third girl aviation ordnance LDO to realize the rank of commander.
Her profession impression has been so widespread that her colleagues, friends, and mentors serving within the ordnance group at Naval Air Pressure Atlantic even put collectively a framed picture of her that includes her accomplishments that they grasp proudly of their workplace.
“The image we did is heartfelt from your entire workers and actually exhibits the respect now we have for her,” mentioned Invoice Glenn, Aerial & Seaborne Targets Supervisor at Naval Air Pressure Atlantic. “She’s a rock star within the ordnance group.”
And whilst Sandifer ready to depart George H.W. Bush, she urged all Sailors to proceed being humble, however hungry.
“Stay who you might be,” mentioned Sandifer. “Don’t be somebody you’re not. Study from dangerous experiences, and switch them round. Most of all, do no matter you should do with a view to make a distinction.”
After finishing her project aboard George H.W. Bush, she’s going to transfer on to grow to be the primary girl to command Heart for Naval Aviation Technical Coaching Unit Oceana the place she’s going to proceed to encourage Sailors each previous and new.
