The military is becoming an ever-increasing option for minority college graduates.  Whether they’re looking for a military career or an opportunity to jump-start their corporate careers, there’s no denying that the military provides an opportunity to gain experience at a pace that is rarely matched at the entry-level in the corporate world.  “As a helicopter pilot, I controlled a $10 million aircraft and had a supply account of about $5 million, and here I am a junior officer,” said Lt. Col. Theodore Lambert of the United States Marine Corp.  “You’d have to be with a corporation for 10 to 15 years to have that type of responsibility.”

With great responsibility sometimes comes great anxiety and insecurity.  That’s why the role played by the National Naval Officers Association (NNOA) is so important as they work to support cultural diversity in the Sea Services and help junior officers in the development of their careers through a system of mentoring and networking. “Through our program, individuals get the opportunity to talk to senior officers about issues that they wouldn’t have otherwise had the opportunity to talk to someone about,” said Lambert, who is also the chapter person for the Bayou Chapter of the NNOA.  “They get career advice and career guidance in an informal setting.” As young officers make the transition from college life to the fast-paced world of the military, the NNOA may be presenting them with an opportunity they can’t afford to pass up.