Sgt. Lizettecathy Waaymed, a culinary specialist with 5th Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment, and former islander, wanted to see the world and experience different cultures. She joined the U.S. Army practically ten years ago and is still working happily in her field of choice.

“Some days it’s really fun, like for Thanksgiving and the Halloween Trunk or Treat, making treats for the kids,” she said. “It’s a lot of work and has its ups and downs, but it can be rewarding in those moments.”

Working on big holiday events like those may seem fun, but they can often drain that holiday time away from those working. During Thanksgiving, Waaymed worked from 6:00 p.m. until midnight. Some days, she said, meal prep could go even longer depending on how much they must prepare.

“The trick is to go with the flow and do the right thing,” Waaymed said. “Everything is always moving and everything’s constantly changing. You can be in low points out in the field like NTC [National Training Center] or YTC [Yakima Training Center], but oftentimes those lowest points turn into your highest points because you get recognized for what you do and what you bring to the team.”

A big thank you to Sgt. Waaymed and to all those who work through the holidays. We couldn’t accomplish the mission without you!