Life Lessons From NASSIG's CMC

Naval Air Station Sigonella’s Installation Command Master Chief Anna Wood is from Cecilia, Kentucky. She is married to Master Chief Hospital Corpsman Albert Wood and has four children, one of whom is also in the Navy. In this interview, she discusses her career, her family, and what Women’s History Month means to her.

How long have you been in the Navy?

All me bloomin’ life! Technically, I have been in for 27 years. I joined the World’s Finest Navy on June 28, 1993.

Why did you choose to be an HM (Hospital Corpsman)?

Carefully considering my options at the recruiting station, I chose to be a Hospital Corpsman because I thought that I could possibly leverage the experience into a career after the Navy if I decided to separate. But, I quickly realized that I especially loved the idea of helping others when they needed it most, when they were not at 100%, and I wanted to be in a position to make a difference to them.

Could you briefly describe your Navy career?

I spent 24 years as a Hospital Corpsman, which included advanced training as a Surgical Technician in the operating room. I specialized in orthopedics, OB/GYN and my favorite, general surgery. Additionally, I served with the Marines in Okinawa, Japan and Camp Pendleton, California. I was stationed at hospitals in Okinawa, San Diego and Jacksonville, Florida. I completed deployments on USS Cleveland and USS John C. Stennis. I served as the Senior Enlisted Leader at 1st Dental Battalion/Naval Dental Center and my last four years have been as a Command Master Chief with Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron SEVEN ONE and currently here at Naval Air Station Sigonella.

What’s your biggest career or personal achievement?

By far my biggest career achievement was making Master Chief Hospital Corpsman and then subsequently Command Master Chief. To be considered as the top 1% of the enlisted Navy is humbling to me and I pray that I earn the respect for the title of CMC every day. I take my Chief role seriously and hope that it is seen that way!

However, my biggest achievement overall is my feeling of success in my personal life. My husband, aka Mr. CMC Wood, and I have been married for 24 years and have four super-star children. To navigate the waters for a successful career AND a healthy home takes devotion and balance. But, it wasn’t a sea navigated without heavy rolls of mistakes. Luckily, we had many years of marriage and a few children, so we have been able to practice a bit to get it just right—haha! I am very proud of the young men and women in both my professional and personal life. Very proud and blessed!

Can you share an example of an obstacle that you experienced during your career and how you overcame it?

No matter how hard I tried, I could NOT seem to get orders to a ship or with the Fleet Marine Force. At the time, Sailors’ orders were posted online with a WAS (Women at Sea) column. For my first nine years in the Navy, there were zero WAS billets and Field Medical Service School training seats available for me. So, I turned to the next best thing—I requested an arduous shore duty billet assignment and was approved to serve as a Recruit Division Commander at Recruit Training Command. Super awesome job, by the way!

What’s some advice you would give to female Sailors?

I would advise female Sailors to know who they are and love themselves for it. I remember many times in my career that I thought I should adjust or alter my style of leadership to “fit in” with what was expected. For example maybe I should be a little more serious for certain things and a lot less strict on other things, especially when I started picking up rank. I realized quickly (with the encouragement of my husband) that I couldn’t change and I really shouldn’t. He said that I made it to where I am because of who I am, inside and out.

Do you have a woman in your life that you look up to?

Oh, for sure! My mother is someone who I have always looked up to, even at her tiny stature of 4’11”. She is one of the toughest women I know. She taught me to work extremely hard for absolutely EVERYTHING and to take nothing for granted. As most of us would agree, we don’t realize the lessons from our childhood until we are old enough to have our own children. I can certainly say that is true in my case. She taught me about respect, resilience, and loyalty. She taught me to be a woman of moral courage.

How do you empower Sailors?

First, I try to “give and let go”. What I mean by that is to “give” an assignment and/or area of responsibility, my expectations and a few tips and then “let go” of the process. Second, I encourage mistakes. Yes, make lots of mistakes; just keep them small, try not to repeat them and then tell others so they don’t make the same mistakes. I believe that you have already failed if you don’t even try. Third, I build into the deadline enough time for mistakes and failure. With time, you can mentor and train to get Sailors back on track. Most people feel empowered when you don’t micromanage them, so when you set clear expectations and a realistic deadline with room to address any issues, you set the tone for empowerment.

What does Women’s History Month mean to you?

I love celebrating the history of all of our diversity in the military. Women’s History Month is special to me because I am able to serve in the world’s finest Navy in the world’s most powerful country due to the women who were trailblazers before me. I have a strong foundation of appreciation for the struggles of our early women in society who paved the way and our women of today who continue to make the world a better place for me and all women.