USS Gettysburg Succeeds Through Diversity

The depth of diversity of Gettysburg's crew is quite unique, including people of many different backgrounds, such as African-American, Hispanic, international, Caucasian, Asian-American, male, and female. Lt. Rita Love, Gettysburg's command chaplain, said that most people are surprised to see that an African-American female leads Gettysburg's religious ministry, and in fact, she represents just a small population in the Navy's Chaplains Corps.

However, with more than 100 African-American and nearly 50 female Sailors on board, she is able to use her unique background to relate to a large population of Gettysburg's crew. Additionally, Love has embraced the diversity of the crew, leading programs for Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish worshippers alike, and also planning celebrations of all different ethnic backgrounds represented.

"Diversity is about learning from others who are not the same, about dignity and respect for all, and about creating workplace environments and practices that encourage learning from others and capture the advantage of diverse perspectives," Love said.

Gas Turbine Systems (Electrical) 1st Class Ivan Molina is an example of another substantial population on board the ship. Currently, more than 10 percent of Gettysburg's crew, including three officers, are of Latin American heritage.

As a Latino with roots going back to Lima, Peru, Molina said he finds strength and pride in the challenges he had to overcome to get to where he is today. He moved from Lima to Staten Island, New York just before his 18th birthday back in 1997, and 14 months later, he enlisted in the United States Navy.

He said that one can even find diversity within the Latino population on the ship.

"Even among the Hispanic community on board, we have different backgrounds - Cubans, Puerto Ricans, Mexicans, Peruvians, Hondurans, etc.," he said. "Diversity helps us understand different cultures. That way we can look at life with more of an open mind."

Sonar Technician (Surface) 3rd Class and Search and Rescue Swimmer Steven Erb is an example of another significant group of individuals who one might not include in a discourse on diverse backgrounds - that of Caucasian Americans with nothing but other Caucasian Americans in their lineage for many generations. His ancestors originally came to the United States from Germany and Finland, but for all practical purposes, he identifies himself with no specific ethnic group.

Born and raised in Page, Arizona, he contributes to the diverse "fabric" that makes up the crew's background as much as anyone else. Erb said that it is a real treat for him to be a part of a crew that has so many unique aspects to it.

"Having a lot of diversity on board is to our advantage because there is a lot that everyone can bring to the table," Erb said. "When we bring our different ideas, skills, and backgrounds together, we can find the best and most efficient way to get the job done."

To him, Gettysburg's diversity serves not only to educate the crew, but to make the ship as best as it can possibly be.

Ensign Savannah Gill is one of more than 30 Asian/Pacific-Americans who serve on USS Gettysburg, constituting more than 10 percent of the ship's personnel. While her father is of Caucasian and European descent, her mother is from South Korea. Although Gill is relatively new to the Navy, she quickly recognized the presence of many different cultures.

"Unlike some other ships, Gettysburg has a crew of many women and men of all different races and social backgrounds," she said. "Because of this, Gettysburg has the ability to stand out among many Navy ships around the world."

She also points out that diversity on Gettysburg leads not only to greater combat readiness, but it is vital to the fulfillment of the Chief of Naval Operations' vision and "Cooperative Strategy for 21st Century Sea Power."

"Gettysburg improves relations with the many countries it visits when she has a number of crewmembers who can go out into the town and speak the language, building friendly relations with the locals," Gill said. "I strongly believe that, because of Gettysburg's diversity, we are doing our part in fulfilling the CNO's vision of building good international relations."

In addition to the variety of ethnic and racial backgrounds present, Gettysburg also has a significant population of females. Of the more than 300 Sailors on board, nearly 50 of them are female, including a remarkable 11 female officers in a Wardroom of 32.

CMDCM Loretta Glenn, the senior enlisted Sailor, currently serves as the ship's first female command master chief.

As a female and as an African American, she is proof that the Navy has come a long way with respect to people of diverse - and minority - backgrounds serving in positions of authority.

"Sailors are our most precious assets," Glenn said. "We have been truly blessed to have a captain who strongly believes in fair treatment for all of our Sailors. For the past 24 months, I have watched as this crew excelled in many endeavors. I stand back and watch the smiles on young Sailors faces when they see someone from their culture contributing to the success of the Gettysburg. We are a mini United Nations contributing to the success of the Navy with diversity among the ranks."

USS Gettysburg is leading the way for others to follow with respect to deep diversity throughout the ship and in many leadership positions. The ship demonstrates that when people of diverse backgrounds come together with open minds to contribute to a unifying mission, efficiency and success are the inevitably results. With Sailors from all across the world and from many, varying backgrounds, Gettysburg is unquestionably strengthened by its diversity.

Gettysburg is currently deployed to the Arabian Gulf as the Air Defense Commander with the USS Enterprise Carrier Strike Group.