National Hispanic Heritage Month: Salvadorian Yeoman Demonstrates Versatility and Leadership

JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii - Navy Region Hawaii joins the nation in celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month to honor the achievements and contributions of Americans who trace their origin or descent to Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Central and South America, and other Spanish cultures.

For generations, Hispanic Americans have served on the front lines and supported critical operations at home and abroad, exemplifying their commitment to our Nation's safety and progress. Currently, more than 14% of the Department of the Navy’s total force shares Hispanic descent.

At Navy Region Hawaii, Chief Yeoman Silvia Newkirk, 42, serves as the flag writer for Rear Adm. Marc F. Williams, deputy commander for Navy Closure Task Force – Red Hill (NCTF-RH). Newkirk is the first person in her family to join the military, a shining example of this year’s theme: "Pioneers of Change: Shaping the Future Together.”

Newkirk grew up in San Salvador, El Salvador, and moved to Linwood, New York, when she was 11. Two years later, she returned to El Salvador to complete middle school and high school.

In 2003, Newkirk returned to the New York area and enlisted in the Navy one year later. She joined the Professional Career Apprenticeship Training (PACT) program, which allowed her to start her career with an undesignated rating to gain experience before deciding on her preferred career path.

Newkirk served as a deck seaman on the USS Saipan (LHA 2) then later as a customer service representative at the naval hospital in Portsmouth, Virginia, before passing the test and completing training to become a yeoman second class at the Great Lakes Naval Station in Illinois.

As Newkirk’s career progressed in the versatile yeoman role, she served in a variety of positions, working on legal documents and the processing of awards and evaluations; payroll; and organizing and tracking security clearance documents for Sailors.

Newkirk talked with Navy Region Hawaii about her decision to join the Navy, what National Hispanic Heritage Month means to her, and what makes her job rewarding.

What inspired you to join the Navy?

I wanted better opportunities. I wanted to do something more than be a cashier, something better. My friend was the one that told me to join the military. She wasn’t in the military.

In New York, I was living with my aunt. My mom was still in El Salvador, so I was like, you know what, maybe that’s a good idea. My friend took me to the library, I filled out the form, and the Navy called me.

Is there a Hispanic person who inspires you?

My mom. I’m pretty close to her. She’s very strong. She never gives up. That’s what I like about her because we grew up pretty rough and she was a single mom taking care of three kids in El Salvador. She didn’t care and I didn’t realize that she was having a hard time until I had my kids. She kept fighting.

What does National Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?

I’m proud to represent. There’s a lot of people from different countries who speak Spanish. Also, I’m proud that El Salvador is one of the safest countries in the world with great food. It was very violent before, but recently, it has become one of the safest countries because of the country’s president.

What is one challenge that you have faced in your career?

My challenge is the language barrier because I speak Spanish. I learned English when I first came to the U.S. when I was 11, but then I went back to El Salvador. I did practice English, but it wasn’t the same.

I came here one year, and then I joined the Navy. There were a lot of words that I didn’t know when I was going through boot camp, through the school, and at my first command. I basically learned English on my first ship.

To this day, that’s the challenging part. Before I talk, I have to translate.

What is the most rewarding part of your job?

Sometimes people think that, as yeomans, we just sit behind a desk, and we’re not doing anything, but the most rewarding thing is to make sure that Sailor pay is fine, so they can work. That means that I’m taking care of the Sailors and their families as well.

Now that I’m managing schedules as the admiral’s flag writer, I know he’s going to be ok.

It’s great taking care of the people who work in the command.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month is unusual because it begins in the middle and end of two separate months: Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. This mid-September start date is significant, as it coincides with the Independence Days of several Latin American nations: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua on Sept. 15, followed by Mexico on Sept. 16, Chile on Sept. 18, and Belize on Sept. 21. Extending into October, the month also includes Día de la Raza on Oct. 12, a day that celebrates the fusion of Hispanic cultures.