Denise Creary
Avia Ustanny, Outlook Writer
"By doing what needs to be done right now, We make the most of each present moment."
- Anonymous
WITH HER dark, close cropped hair and a youthful, creamy complexion , few would make the guess that Denise McCallaCreary is a retired naval commander.
McCallaCreary was only 19 when she enlisted in the United States Naval Reserves in October 1973. Twenty-seven years later, she took her official departure from the service.
The Commander was sent out in an impressive ceremony on October 27, 2000 - after nearly three decades of service - to the strains of the ceremonial "piping over the side" and with accolades and awards from her peers and superiors and with family and well-wishers present.
Commander McCallaCreary's military awards and decorations include Joint Service Meritorious medal; Joint Service Achievement medal and a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with gold star in lieu of second award.
She was also awarded the Navy Reserve Meritorious Service medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; National Defence Medal with bronze star in lieu of second award; Humanitarian Service medal; and the Overseas Service Ribbon.
Outlook caught up with the Commander in Kingston recently and chatted about her efforts to start a home-based business as an independent sales representative, and her work with the Merl Grove High School Past Students' Association, north-east American chapter.
The Commander does not look her 51 years, but one would also never guess that the reason why she retired from the naval forces was in order to look after a very young family.
Married late in her career to Trevor Anthony Creary, formerly of Kingston, Commander McCallaCreary is the mother of Matthew Alexander, daughter Karlene Elizabeth, and middle child Christopher Anthony.
Wishing to spare her family the stress of moving from naval location to naval location and wanting to spend more time with her growing children, she departed from the naval services.
Born Denise Jacqueline McCallaCreary, the commander is a native of Kingston, Jamaica, whose family migrated to the United States after she passed the examination to attend Merl Grove High School.
Passion for the high seas
Denise enlisted in the Naval Reserves right after completing high school in the United States because, she said, she really did not have her mind set on anything else and the military seemed like a good option.
The young recruit served as an Aviation Storekeeper at Naval Air Station, Glenview, Illinois and also started on a programme of study that led to a Bachelor of Arts in Business Management and Spanish from Northeastern Illinois University by 1978.
In December 1978, she was assigned Temporary Active (TEMAC) duty with the Navy Recruiting District, Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as the Recruiting District's community relation's petty officer where she earned the Recruiting Gold Wreath for her recruiting efforts. This tour was highlighted by her being selected to attend Officer Candidate School where she was commissioned an Ensign in November 1979.
McCallaCreary's first assignment was as the Public Affairs Officer at Naval Air Station, Bermuda. During this assignment, she earned the Chief of Information Merit Award for exemplary achievement.
In February 1982, she reported for duty with the Bureau of Naval Personnel (BUPERS), Washington, D.C. where she served as the Assistant Head, Family Housing, Plans and Policy Division. The division was responsible for administering Navy's housing programme worldwide.
Her studies continued and in July 1985, she was awarded a Master of Science Degree in Transportation Management from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. Next she tackled Navy Transportation Management School in Oakland, California.
From December 1987 to April 1991, she served consecutively as the Administrative Officer and Director, Family Service Centre, Naval Air Station, Moffett Field, California. She transferred to Naval Station, Treasure Island, California as the Director, Family Service Centre until October 1991 when she assumed command of the Naval Transient Personnel Unit, Treasure Island, California, until March 1994. With a commitment to continuous development, Commander McCallaCreary went on to the Naval War College; Newport, Rhode Island where she was awarded a Master of Arts Degree in National Security and Strategic Studies in 1995.
Steady growth
The next stop was the U.S. Central Command, MacDill Air Force Base, Tampa, Florida where she served concurrently as the Navy/Marine Corps Branch Chief and the Navy Element Executive Officer.
Commander McCallaCreary became the National Security Affairs/Intelligence Curricular Officer, Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California in May 1998.
On the nostalgic day of her retirement on October 27, 2000, a poem emblazoned on the programme for her retirement ceremony read:
By doing what needs to be done right now
We make the most of each present moment
As long as we are alive
we are always free to begin again
Instead of following an old worn-out habit
Make a fresh start this moment on the rest of your life
Each day is a new start
Each moment is a new beginning
- Anonymous
For her, retirement to look after her growing children and support her husband was the right thing to do in October 2000. She has turned to setting up a home-based business in order to facilitate this new dream.
Her time is now divided between her family and supporting her community through her work in various organisations.
Commander MCallaCreary is immediate past president of the Jamaica Association of Northern California (JANC)and continues to work with the body.
Life member
She is also very active in the Merl Grove Past Students' Association and remains a life member of the Naval officer's Association.
Currently, she is a s vice-president of the National Naval Officers Association - San Francisco Bay Area chapter.
This woman of new beginnings believes that the government of Jamaica is really not tapping into the resources available in the form of expatriate Jamaicans as much and as well as it should. Jamaicans abroad represent a resource that is vastly under-utilised.
She stands waiting, a part of a vast army numbering hundreds of thousands - who she believes are all ready and willing to serve.
