As a JAG who handled both criminal defense and criminal prosecution during my time in the Navy, I have a treasure trove of memories and stories, but the ones involving kids are especially close to my heart. I prosecuted a general court-martial where the victim was an extremely brave 6-year-old girl. I spent a lot of time with her, preparing her testimony, and we talked about my cats. She loved cats, and her mother said she could come over to my house to play with my cats after the trial ended. After enduring a lengthy cross-examination, she jumped out of the witness stand, ran over to me, gave me a big hug and said, “see you tonight, Miss April!”

My military experience taught me that one’s behavior reflects on the organization and the client. It also taught me that it is important to be a good listener and learn from the experience of others. I also learned to trust my innate ability to read people, which helped me build teams strategically, and properly train them to succeed. Because working collaboratively and doing what is best for the client is essential, the right team that is well trained is critical to the mission.

Another key takeaway from my time in the Navy is to be mission-driven and to be prepared for whatever may come your way – the best time to start planning is now: one must anticipate and plan for all contingencies.

Lastly, my time in the Navy taught me that if you do not know the answer to a question, the correct response is always, “I don’t know, but I’ll find out.”