Pinay says dad inspired her to join US Navy

A Filipina who used to listen to her father's stories about being in the US Navy has decided to follow his footsteps.

Stationed now in Bahrain, Petty Officer 2nd Class Elizabeth Gordon says it was her father who inspired her to join the US Navy force.

A native of Subic, Zambales, Gordon says her father's stories made her curious about being in the US Navy, adding that her father's gained camaraderie and friendship had inspired her to join.

At present, Gordon serves as a master-at-arms at Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain, a forward-deployed to the Arabian Gulf region in the Navy’s US 5th Fleet.

“I am responsible for law enforcement and force protection. We are the military police of the US Navy," Gordon says.

The US 5th Fleet directs naval operations to ensure maritime security and stability in the Central Region, which connects the Mediterranean Sea and Pacific Ocean through the western Indian Ocean.

"Even the simplest smile can help any person get through the day and that no matter the obstacle, as long as you have determination and positive thinking, nothing is impossible.”

Gordon says she is most proud of getting her security forces badge in January 2016 and finally being called a master-at-arms.

“The whole process was difficult, but I never gave up. I paced every challenge and succeeded. When I got my badge I had that sense of accomplishment of this is what I've always wanted to be since I was a kid," she says.

Gordon also says serving in the Navy means a lot of "sacrifices and wagers."

"In general, it is my life and my choice, which is to help others," she says. —Anna Felicia Bajo/KBK, GMA News