Beauty McGowan, Nigerian serving on US navy ship, receives ‘high-performing sailor’ award

Beauty McGowan, a graduate of Ladoke Akintola University of Technology (LAUTECH) now serving on the USS Iwo Jima, a US navy assault ship, has received the Blue Jacket of the Quarter award.

According to the American Connections Media Outreach, a blog dedicated to US navy activities, “the Blue Jacket of the Quarter award is one of several quarterly categories used to recognise high-performing sailors who stand out from others in similar pay grades.”

McGowan graduated from LAUTECH in 2015, after completing her secondary school education at Lagos State Model College, Kanton.

She is said to have joined the US navy six months ago, having applied for the opportunity offered by the military.

‘HOW THE HUSTLING AND BUSTLING OF LAGOS SHAPED HER’

Speaking on excelling in the US navy, McGowan noted that she learned the importance of determination, endurance and perseverance, while growing up in Lagos.

“Growing up, I learned the importance of determination, endurance and perseverance. Those skills are currently helping me in the fleet,” she was quoted to have said in the blog.

She also believes that cooking for US naval officers is a way of meeting their satisfaction, especially hunger-driven stress.

“As a culinary specialist, we feed the crew. I see it as a way of meeting people’s satisfaction and relieving them of hunger-driven stress,” she said

McGowan said she joined the US navy to better her life and acquire resources to enable her to attend medical school.

She noted that serving the US navy gives her a sense of pride and belonging.

“I joined the Navy because I wanted a better life. I wanted financial viability and to be able to go to medical school. To me, serving in the Navy gives me pride and a sense of belonging,” she said.