“I enjoy taking care of the Marines and teaching them what I know in
hopes that it will help them in the future and possibly influence
others as well,” she shares. “I like to tell everyone that the sky is the limit and
they need to just “go for it.”
As the J1 senior enlisted advisor in support of operation inherent resolve,
she provided human resources support to over 4,000 United States service
members, coalition partners and subordinate units throughout the combined
joint operation area.
While at marine fighter attack squadron 323, she reviewed and
approved over 700 authorizations and vouchers, had a zero-delinquency
rate, and ensured the proper and timely reimbursements of over $ 800,000.
As a command team member and active duty deployment readiness
coordinator, she advised and helped coordinate multiple squadron events to
include the squadron marine corps ball and multiple ceremonies.
Lieutenant
Commander
Maggie V. Cole
U.S. Navy
“I knew I wanted to make a difference in
the world, but I was not sure what path
I wanted to take while I was in law
school,” states LCDR. Maggie V. Cole.
“Once I learned about the U.S. Navy
Judge Advocate General's (JAG) Corps
during a school presentation with JAGs present, I immediately knew my
calling. As a Navy JAG attorney, you see the results of what you do every
single day and the direct impact on people and nations. Plus, you get to
support your country directly, practice in diverse areas of law, and travel
to countries and ports around the world.”
LCDR Margaret Cole distinguished herself through
exemplary service as Deputy Staff Judge Advocate, Commander, Navy
Installations Command. A respected legal expert, and the model of good
judgment and professionalism, she established a new standard of
excellence for legal services for the Navy’s Shore Enterprise. Her
counsel was instrumental to the success of the Commander and staff as
they navigated complex ethics and military justice issues, and
complicated, high visibility good order and discipline matters. Her
management of a four-million-dollar court-martial budget enabled all
Region Commanders to meet their military justice obligations, and her
seamless support to all Region Staff Judge Advocates built an
unprecedented network of legal support at every level of command.
In the National Capital Region, she co-founded the first Navy Judge
Advocate General’s Corps Hispanic Association and currently serves as
its first Vice President. Further, she mentored and empowered junior
Officers to maximize their personal and professional potential through a
local “Lean In” group she helped establish. “A life of public service can
be meaningful and rewarding,” she shares. “Working with people who
share in your world-views, values and challenge you to be better is like
hitting the jackpot! Find those people that inspire you and don't forget to
be a role model to those below you. We all need someone to look up to,
be that person!”
Lieutenant Melissa
A. Rodriguez
U.S. Navy
“I joined the Navy for several reasons,
but it mainly came down to pursuing
a career that was personally and
professionally fulfilling, served others,
and allowed me to travel the world,” Lt.
Melissa A. Rodriguez, U.S. Navy states.
“While the military wasn’t the career
path I initially had in mind when I decided to go to law school, the more
I learned about the Navy JAG Corps, the more I realized it was exactly
what I wanted to do.”
The first person in her family to join the U.S. military, her family was
extremely surprised when she told them the news. Today she distinguishes
herself through exemplary service as the Staff Judge Advocate to Task Force
48. She positively contributed to building relationships and maintaining
regional stability in the U.S. Southern Command Area of Responsibility by
training 200 multinational officers on matters of international law during
UNITAS LIX, conducting Subject-Matter Expert Exchanges, and coordinating
Community Relations events in Honduras, Colombia, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Her mentorship and commitment to excellence as a Navy Judge
Advocate General Corps Diversity Liaison to the National Latina/o Law
Student Association is inspiring to Latina/o law students. Lieutenant
Rodriguez’s efforts as a founding member of the Navy Judge Advocate
Hispanic Association demonstrate her care and dedication to improving the
Latina/o community.
Sara Salas
U.S. Navy
“By working in a military environment, I
have interacted with people from so
many diverse backgrounds,” states Sara
Salas, Deputy Director of Equal
Employment Opportunity at the Fleet
Readiness Center Southwest. “This has
developed my emotional intelligence, as
I’ve had to understand the different
communication styles others bring to the
table and, in turn, alter the way I
communicate with each individual.”
Over the past 12 months, she has mentored numerous journeymen
employees. They have included human resources
practitioners, engineers and aircraft mechanics. She imparts the
wisdom she has learned through completion of the Latina Success
Leadership Program, the Women’s Conference and incorporated best
practices and/or lessons learned from other mentors to set employees
on their own paths toward personal growth and career development.
Salas states, “her greatest joy is witnessing employees
from different walks of life set aside differences and work together.”
LATINAStyle Vol . 25, No. 6, 2019 www. lat inastyle.com 29
/inastyle.com
