LINA E.

Sergeant, U.S. Marine Corps

Bachelors of Science in Industrial Engineering from Louisiana State University

Lina enlisted in the Marines after completing her first year of college and realizing that her chosen career path at that time was no longer a good fit for her. She saw the Marine Corps as the biggest challenge that would also provide guidance and direction, as well as an unexpected sense of purpose and pride that would soon develop. During her 4 years and 9 months of service, Lina completed two deployments to Afghanistan. The first was with her unit as an Osprey tiltrotor airframes mechanic, followed by being a member of the Female Engagement Team, where she was attached to two infantry units.

During her deployment in 2011, they experienced constant enemy fire and mortar attacks, resulting in the loss of fellow Marines and Afghan counterparts. Upon her honorable discharge in 2012, Lina struggled with losing her sense of purpose and the camaraderie built in the Marine Corps that was no longer present during her transition to civilian life. With the support of her family and engaging in therapy sessions, she found a new purpose: to complete her education.

While attending Louisiana State University for a Bachelor of Science degree in Industrial Engineering, Lina was accepted to Sentinels of Freedom (SoF) and received support that allowed her to focus on her studies. Through the resources and encouragement of SoF, Lina changed her engineering major from chemical to industrial and discovered new passions that led to increased confidence and independence to carry forward with her. Following graduation, Lina relocated to West Virginia and accepted an Operations Line Leader position with Procter & Gamble. Within her first year there, she was recognized with the prestigious P&G CEO Award for the deployment of Lean systems in her department.

In 2023, Lina made another big move, relocating back home to New York and accepting a position with a construction company as a Resource Manager. She plans to continue to grow her experience with coaching teams and leaders to adopt sustainable process improvements.

“SOF was a vital part of my long, successful transition. SOF awarded me a housing subsidy for two years, but the program was so much more than that. SOF catapulted me into the next phase of my life.”