Environmental Portrait & Mug Shot

Following in her eldest brothers' footsteps, Jasmine Meline became the first woman in her family to join The United States Navy at the age of 20. Growing up in the small town of Coos Bay, Oregon, Jasmine always had her sights set on bigger and better things. She quickly became an Honor Grad in boot camp, rose to the top in her class in both A School and her surgical tech class. At her first duty station, she made Blue Jacket of the Quarter. Her morale was tested as she got assigned to a new chain of command. As she advanced her success seemed intimidating to her male superior. "At times it felt that I was being treated differently than the men, given less important duties that were, in fact, in my job title as The Assistant Leading Petty Officer of the Special Delivery Unit. That title made me second in command. He would avoid giving any leadership roles to me, and seemed awkward around women in general." Jasmine offers us insight through a woman's perspective of the stigmas that still surround women in the military. Nevertheless, these things never got in the way of her performing her duties and contributing to her unit in significant ways. "The Navy doesn't give you what you want, it gives you what you need", says Meline. 

Jasmine Meline (26) Navy Medical Corpsman and Surgical Technologist reflects back on her five years serving the United States Navy and becoming apart of the Naval Hospital of Oak Harbor, Washington's Special Delivery Unit on October 19. Primarily delivering cesarean sections for active duty military members and their spouses, Jasmine also performs life saving surgeries such as mastectomies for cancer patients, and hand function regeneration for someone suffering from sepsis. Jasmine is returning back to Oregon State University this year to pursue her passion in physical therapy stating,  "Before I entered the military I wanted to be a physical therapist. Becoming a surgical tech gave me the foundation I was needing and I quickly learned that I want to help people avoid surgery as much as possible; I am willing to do anything to keep them off surgery table." Jasmine remains in the inactive reserve while continuing her studies. She resides in Corvallis, Oregon while she adjusts back to life as a civilian. 

Jasmine Meline (26) finds comfort and familiarity with training in a gym setting on October 21. She describes it as, "a way I learned to take care of myself mentally, not just physically." This is crucial for her processing frustrating and raw emotions not only inside the Navy, but outside as well. Weight lifting has been the constant for her transitioning back into life as a student, and civilian. Jasmine plans to keep this part of her routine for as long as she is able to.