Lyndon woman recognized for commitment: Dedication to fellow sailors key to success
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| Petty Officer 2nd Class Traci Inniss, a team leader with the Casualty Evacuation Team supporting Marine Aircraft Group 40, Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan, was selected as the first MEB-A Sailor of the Quarter of the MEB’s deployment. (Submitted photo) |
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LYNDON – A Lyndon woman who 14 years ago chose the Navy as her career has been named the first Sailor of the Quarter for the Marine Expeditionary Brigade Afghanistan.
According to a news release from Lance Cpl. Samuel Nasso from Camp Leatherneck, Afghanistan, Petty Officer 2nd Class Traci Inniss is a team leader with the Casualty Evacuation Team of the Aviation Combat Element supporting Marine Aircraft Group 40 of the Marine brigade.
“She takes charge, delegates fairly, and is not afraid of responsibility,” said Petty Officer 2nd Class Brandon Arnold, one of the corpsmen who works with Inniss. “She’s always willing to get her hands dirty to help get whatever task that needs to be done, done.”
Inniss graduated from Prophetstown High School in 1994 and joined the Navy in February 1995. Her parents are Francis and Kathleen Stone of Lyndon.
Having family members, including a brother and sister, in the Marine Corps inspired her to be a corpsman, said Inniss, adding that she was “completely surprised” by the honor.
“I love my job, and I love medical,” she said. “I am the only female, and I kept up with the guys. We work our butts off, and we do want we need to do, no matter what we’re asked.”
In 2008, Inniss deployed for 8 months to Al-Asad, Iraq, and now she faces new challenges and different missions in a new setting in Afghanistan.
“Her ability to adapt to a completely different kind of mission is impressive,” said Arnold, who deployed with Inniss in Al-Asad. “Her leadership style makes us strong and is the reason why we are as tight as we are.”
Focusing on her junior sailors has been key to Inniss’ leadership style for the past 14 years.
“I’m not the oldest person here, but I’m kind of like their mom,” she said. “I also make sure they get their care packages. And if we get a lot of them, we can share with others who are out in the field. MREs [meals ready to eat] get old day after day.”
Kathleen Stone said her daughter is in the ideal career.
“This is her vocation, something she chose a long time ago, to be a nurse,” Stone said. “She always thinks of others first. We’re so very proud of her.”
Inniss’ experience as a certified nursing assistant at the age of 16 and working at a nursing home in Prophetstown gave her an advantage over her peers, her mom said.
“We are so proud of her, boy, let me tell you,” her father said. “She has really done well.”
When her current deployment ends, Inniss plans to do what she loves most – spend time with her two children, Wynter and Aydan, ages 10 and 5.
“It’s hard being a working mom in the military,” Innis said. “It’s really hard being away from my kids and having someone else take care of them. My son started kindergarten this year, and I wasn’t there for his first day of school.”
Fortunately, she said, her ex-husband cares for their children and faithfully sends photos of missed birthdays and holidays.
“The kids and I call each other every weekend and talk,” Inniss said. “That really helps me, but I still miss them so much.”
Inniss said she plans to stay in the Navy for at least 6 more years.
“I love the military,” she said.
“I come home once a year to see my parents, but I won’t retire to Lyndon. It gets too cold there.”
