EM2 Kristen Bowen - USS Essex
Channel: U.S. Navy
Date: 2016-03-18

“Just because you have experience doesn’t mean you have all the answers” –an interesting perspective from a sailor with six years of experience as an electrician on the USS Essex. EM2 Kristen Bowens’ budding career on board one of the largest amphibious warfare ships taught her a lot, from incorporating a new lighting system in the ship's well-deck to fixing large generators. But what she finds to be the most important part of her job is the people she works with.

Transcript: 
EM2 Kristen Bowen: If people have a piece of equipment that does not work, alright, they call me

Capt Peter Mantz: She goes above and beyond what she gets paid to do on a daily basis and she’s making it happen. So, couldn’t be more proud of her. 

EM2 Kristen Bowen: My name is EM2 Kristen Bowen and I am an electrician. Not everybody joins the military to be in the military sometimes it’s to better themselves. Sometimes it’s to go to college or they don’t know what they’re going to do with their lives. I was one of them; I didn’t really know what I was going to do. But, what I think is really cool is that I found a passion. For me, what I like about my job is that I get to work on anything ranging from lights to generators, motors, converter units; I mean we work on everything. But the thing is the, the thing I’ve realized the most at this command, is that everybody is important. Sometimes just because you have experience doesn’t mean you have all the answers. You need to develop a work environment where critical thinking and thinking outside the box is welcomed.