Ms. Tamara Grasmick: From Navy Corpsman to high school counselor
Photos courtesy of T. Grasmick
From being a Navy Hospital Corpsman for six years (1994 to 2000) to being a CSHS counselor, Mrs. Tammy Grasmick has exhibited the values that America celebrates every Veterans Day. Grasmick’s time in the military was instrumental in her life, allowing her to serve the country while also moving her life forward.
“I had already graduated from college and in the town I lived in, I could not find a job that paid more than waiting tables at the time,” Grasmick said. “I decided I needed some life experience and maybe needed a different route too. So, I decided the military was a way to do that. I also have some family members who were in the Navy, so it seemed like the logical place to go.”
Her decision, though initially because of a lack of opportunities, revealed much about herself.
“I grew up and learned a lot about what I could do, and what my strengths were, and I gained a lot of confidence in myself,” Grasmick said. “I did things like boot camp and did a lot of things I didn’t think I could do. Also, the structure gave me a better focus.”
Being in the military not only unveiled a general direction for Grasmick, but also was a vehicle for her to pay for her master’s degree, which would directly translate into a career in counseling.
“I was stationed at the hospital in Virginia, and got my master’s degree at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia,” Grasmick said. “I worked on my master’s degree while I was in, and finished six months after getting out of the Navy. The military paid for around 85% of it.”
Beyond monetary aid, working in the psychological division of a Navy hospital gave her valuable experience for her current career.
“The stuff I did in the hospital as a psych worker 100 percent made me understand the counseling stuff that I was learning in my master’s degree,” she said. “It not only paid for it, but also gave me that direction and drive that I needed. Had I not gone in the Navy, I definitely would not have been a school counselor.”
However, Grasmick also voiced regret at not making the most of her opportunities in the military.
“I did not go as an officer, but I wish I had done some research because I already had a college degree,” Grasmick said. “Instead, I enlisted, which is a lot lower paying. That was probably a mistake on the upfront.”
Grasmick advises any student who wants to join the military to do their due diligence of research.
“Now that we have the internet, [information] is right at your fingertips,” she said. “Know things like where your duty stations will be, for example, or whether you will be in the desert or next to the ocean. Also, talk to people who have been in the military.”
For Grasmick, service to the country came in a unique and crucial form.
“If you look at what I did, I never went overseas and fought anybody, I was in a hospital the entire time,” she said. “I did deal with people who had been fighting and were scarred psychologically. For me, serving was serving the people who were doing the boots-on-the-ground stuff. I think everyone can serve in different ways in the military. However, they all sacrifice. You do have to sacrifice in the military.”
Sahat Sopirala is a senior at Carroll Senior High School and a second-year member of Dragon Media. He enjoys teaching kids and has a non-profit tutoring...
