Angela Bell, VH-92 Fleet Support Team lead engineer at Fleet Readiness Center East (FRCE), believes that it’s better to learn from the mistakes of others than to make the same mistakes yourself. That’s one reason that she’s a strong advocate for mentorship – both as a mentor and a mentee.
Bell’s strong support of mentorship and her willingness to share her experience with others was recently recognized when Naval Air Systems Command recently named her Fleet Readiness Center East’s Mentor of the Year at a virtual ceremony.
“I felt proud and excited that my efforts were being acknowledged as being beneficial or helpful to somebody,” Bell said. “I participate in mentoring just because I want to help other people, but it was satisfying to be recognized for a job well done.”
Bell’s 23-year career path has included positions as an aerospace engineer on the propeller fleet support team (FST), the technical team manager for the Joint Engineering Training Team (JETT), Drive System Branch Manager, propulsion lead engineer for the H-53 FST, and now lead engineer for the VH-92 presidential helicopter FST. She did not have a mentor until 2006, when she participated in the Executive Leadership Program; having a mentor was a requirement for participation. Bell has maintained the same mentor relationship since that time, and she credits her mentor’s guidance with much of the success she has enjoyed in her career.
“A good mentor never tells you what to do—they just ask the right questions to get you thinking, and I try to use the same philosophy in my own mentor relationships,” Bell said. “Mentoring is a phenomenal opportunity to understand leadership expectations, to gain advice on some dos and don’ts or some lessons that have already been learned. The ability to share and ask advice and have someone invest in you is a good thing.”
Russell Padgett, the FRCE FST Engineering site lead and Angela’s supervisor, said Bell’s wide range of experience makes her effective, both as an engineer and a supervisor.
“Angela is proactively engaged, not only in her work, but also with her employees,” Padgett said. “She’s a sharp engineer with a wealth of experience who brings a lot to the table. Her previous JETT leadership also provided her with a great perspective on what it’s like to be a young employee in an organization, and that’s a valuable trait for a mentor.”
Bell estimates that she has formally mentored about 25 employees through her career, but she emphasizes that mentorship can take many forms, both formal and informal. It can be a structured relationship with scheduled meetings and established goals, but it can also be as informal as a phone call between friends and colleagues.
“Everybody knows that my door is always open, and they are more than welcome to ask for my thoughts,” Bell said. “I have folks that I consider peers who just call up every once in a while and say, ‘Can I run something by you?’ That’s the same thing I do with them.”
Rose Wagoner, Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Engineering Dynamic Components Branch head, has relied on Bell’s advice since she began her career at FRCE in 2013. She said that Bell’s experience as a successful female engineer in a predominantly male field has given her the direction and confidence to help her succeed in her own career.
“It’s been great to have a female in a leadership position being your biggest cheerleader. Angela sets an excellent example of a strong and empathetic leader,” Wagoner said. “She’s helped me develop my strengths, but she’s also helped me identify weaknesses and improve upon those so I have the confidence to take the next step.”
Bell said she firmly believes that anyone can benefit from mentorship, both in giving and receiving guidance and support.
“If you have a developmental need or goal that you want to achieve, a mentor can help you get there,” Bell said. “Anybody who has already had some career success should take this opportunity to give back. We become a stronger organization when we’re willing to help others benefit from the lessons we have already learned.”
FRCE is North Carolina's largest maintenance, repair, overhaul and technical services provider, with more than 4,000 civilian, military and contract workers. Its annual revenue exceeds $1 billion. The depot provides service to the fleet while functioning as an integral part of the greater U.S. Navy; Naval Air Systems Command; and Commander, Fleet Readiness Centers.