Veteran Spotlight: Meet U.S. Navy Veteran Joana

U.S. Navy Veteran Joana served four years in active duty before coming to Northrop Grumman as a Manager in Tooling Operations. Joana’s extensive experience in the Navy helped set her up for her civilian life and career at Northrop Grumman. Hear about Joana’s experience networking with Northrop Grumman leadership and how it helped her grow and excel in her career.

How long have you been with Northrop Grumman? How did you hear about us?

I recently celebrated my 10-year anniversary with Northrop Grumman in January 2021. I joined the company in 2011 after hearing about it once my time in the service was ending. My family moved to the Antelope Valley in the late 90’s, after I returned home and decided to take some courses at our local community college. That is when I stumbled across a program known as the AFAB program.

female smiling with usa flag in background

What is your military background? How did your military background set you up for the role you are in now?

I served 4 Years in the U.S. Navy. My classification was an Aviation Boatswain’s Mates, Fuels (ABF) onboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76). My background is with Aviation Fuels Flight Deck Operations. Some of the duties entailed supervising, managing the safe receipt and transferring and issuing of JP5 to various locations throughout the ship. My duties also included taking samples, sounding tanks, aligning service, transferring and stripping systems to perform various functions. I was also responsible for performing PMS on equipment, maintaining the material condition of assigned spaces, and flight deck operations involving fueling and defueling of aircraft ashore and afloat. I was a recipient of Navy Air Warfare Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Service Medal, and National Defense Service Medal. I have deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (8-month deployment).

What was your experience transitioning into Northrop Grumman as a Veteran?

It took me a year of applying to various roles, however with some persistence and additional schooling provided through AVC Community College (AFAB Program), I was blessed with the opportunity to begin my career with Northrop Grumman in Louisiana. I have been fortunate to have some great leaders invest their time in me, and in return, it has helped me grow and excel in my career here.

What do you hope to gain from your role?

I hope to continue making a difference for our next generation of leaders and individual contributors by driving the significance of what we do every day here at Northrop Grumman. We have many deliverables to meet as a company; however, one key mission is to support our brave men and women in the armed forces with the best in class technology.

What advice would you give to other Veterans interested in a career at Northrop Grumman?

As I mentioned earlier, I have been blessed with a great career here. The opportunities are endless – stay the course and keep applying to various jobs and locations across the corporation. Achieving that dream job and career is worth the journey.

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