Service to others above self was ingrained into Commander Tara Lambert as a young girl, and it has been part of her mission that has guided her life choices.
“I always knew I wanted to be part of something bigger than myself,” CMDR Lambert said. “My mother was a nurse and my first example of shifting my focus away from my individual needs to contributing to the needs of others and the community.”
Lambert served active duty for the U.S. Navy from July 1989 until December 2014 when she retired after 25 years of honorable service. But her service to others didn’t end there. She is in her 11th year at Moss Point High School where she is the NJROTC Senior Naval Science Instructor.
“I chose the Navy because I wanted to serve on ships,” she said. “I felt the best way to give of myself was to serve and dedicate my time and energy to my country.”
Following in the footsteps of her mother, she enlisted in the Navy where she became a Hospital Corpsman Surgical Technician and worked in the medical field from 1989 to 1995 before applying and being accepted to an officer program called Broaden Opportunity for Officer Selection and Training (BOOST) in Newport, RI, and went to Jacksonville University and was in the NROTC.
“I graduated college and became a Meteorology and Oceanography Officer in the U.S. Navy in which I also received my Master of Science Degree in Meteorology and Physical Oceanography at the Naval Postgraduate School,” Commander said. “My last duty station was at the Naval Meteorology and Oceanography Command at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi from 2013 until I retired in December 2014.”
Her active-duty assignments sent her to all parts of the country and abroad and provided her with a wealth of knowledge. She is now able to mentor students and help them develop career plans that include service to others and the community.
“I love to mentor my cadets and teach them how to become respectful, responsible, and accountable adults and to guide them in their career choices,” CMDR said. “I would definitely encourage others to choose military service as a career choice because of the pride and professionalism you gain from serving your country.”
Traveling to other parts of the world is also a perk of military service. She said she has been to Japan, South Korea, Thailand, Singapore, Guam, and Hong Kong. Additionally, she said the medical, educational and other veterans’ benefits are outstanding.
Once she retires from this portion of her career, she said she would like to continue teaching meteorology and oceanography at a community college, but that isn’t all. She is also a member of the Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. and is looking forward to continuing her service to the community through this organization.
