Dawn Conklin:
CLASS OF 1988
Big Sky High SchoolClass of 1988
Missoula, MT
Chaminade University Class of 2004
Honolulu, HI
Dawn's Story
Life
After high school I spent the summer working in Glacier National Park. It was a lot of fun and I still think it is one of the most beautiful places on earth.
When I finished my job in Glacier I joined the Marine Corps and went to boot camp in March of 1989. Upon completion of boot camp I went to Coronado, CA for school to become an embarkation specialist. In August of 1989 I moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and spent a year there doing logistics. I got engaged in May of 1990 and upon leaving Cuba I went to Camp Pendleton, CA where I deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Desert Shield/Storm completing the off-load of MPS ships for the movement north into Kuwait. I returned to Camp Pendleton in May of 1991 and in July of 1991 decided I was to young to get married so I called off the engagement. While stationed at Camp Pendleton I participated in the movement of troops to LA in support of the riots and I also participated in Operation Restore Hope by working at March AFB in Riverside, CA. My team was responsible for all troop and cargo movement into Somalia. I remained in the Marine Corps until March of 1993 when I decided to get out of the Marine Corps.
After leaving the Marine Corps I remained in CA and worked at an International Flower Company (Flamingo Hollland) and remained there until November and then I decided to move to Colorado to live with Dana. I only stayed there for about 2 months and then decided to move back to Missoula and attend the University of Montana. Missoula was not all that I expected it to be. I worked at Computer House, but the pay was terrible and I missed the Marine Corps, so in March of 1995 I decided to come back in the Marine Corps.
Upon my return to the Marine Corps I went to 29 Palms, CA for school to become a computer tech. After school I got orders for Okinawa, Japan and arrived there in November 1995. Okinawa was great, I played a lot of softball and coached little league. I also made the all-Marine softball team in both 1996 and 1997 and got the opportunity to play in tournaments all over the world. The ...Expand for more
best tournament being in Korea where my team took 1st. In November of 1997, I returned to 29 Palms, CA for advanced computer technician school where I was promoted to Sergeant. After completing school I returned to Camp Pendleton, CA in 1998 where I worked at 1st Electronics Maintenance Company (ELMACO) as a computer technician. While in CA I traveled a lot and my main hobbies were running and softball.
In 2001 I received orders to Marine Forces Pacific (MFP) on Oahu in Hawaii and moved in March. While at MFP I was responsible for the Helpdesk, computer maintenance, supply and fiscal. I was promoted to Staff Sergeant in April 2001 and in August of 2004 I received orders to 3rd Radio Bn in Kaneohe Bay, HI, where I was slated to deploy in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) III. In September I was selected for Warrant Officer (WO) and got pulled from the deployment. I was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant in December, 2004. While in Hawaii my main hobbies were golf and softball. I also completed my Associates through Chaminade University.
In February, 2005 I was promoted to the rank of WO and received orders to "The Basic School (TBS)" in Quantico, VA. Upon completion of TBS I received orders back to Okinawa and reported to 3rd ELMACO in August, 2005 where I was a platoon commander with a platoon of over 60 Marines. While in Okinawa I again played a lot of softball and tried to soak in as much of the local culture as possible.
In August of 2006 I was promoted to the rank of CWO-2 and received orders to 2nd ELMACO in Camp Lejeune, NC. Immediately upon my arrival to Camp Lejeune I was put on the deployment roster and I am currently deployed in support of OIF 06-08. Upon completion of this deployment I plan on finishing my degree and retiring from the Marine Corps in 2012. I have five more years to figure out what life after the Marine Corps holds.
Update: Jan '08 - Since returning from Iraq, I have bought a house and started back to school. I am also thinking about putting a package in to get promoted to Captain, that means no retirement until 2014.
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