Mattila doing well in Navy

GREAT LAKES — Following her graduation as the top sailor from Recruit Training Command, Division 068, seaman recruit Madalyn Mattila was picked to attend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California.

The Sandpoint native earned the Military Excellence Award at her graduation on January 21.

Mattila, from Sandpoint, Idaho, said she joined the Navy to accelerate her career growth.

“I didn’t want a regular 9-to-5 job,” Mattila said. “I wanted something exciting that would keep me interested. I also wanted to gain life experience, confidence, and skills to help me be successful wherever I decide to take my life, whether it’s as a sailor or civilian.”

Mattila, 19, is a 2020 graduate of Sandpoint High School, where she participated in soccer and theater.

Mattila is assigned the rate of cryptological technician (interpretive).

The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the No. 1 recruit of their graduating training group. The MEA is awarded to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award placed her at the pinnacle of today’s newest sailors. Mattila is awarded a flag letter of commendation.

Mattila said she was surprised and honored to receive the MEA.

“It was an amazing feeling to see all of the hard work I had been putting in had paid off,” Mattila said. “Throughout boot camp, I had learned to trust in my training and myself, and to set and achieve goals. I have made myself extremely proud because even when I wanted to take the easy way out, I pushed myself to keep going. Winning this award was truly the icing on the cake and proves to me how far I’ve come and all I have accomplished.”

Mattila credited her Recruit Division Commanders, Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Jimmie Carter III, Yeoman 1st Class Eric Primerosantiago, and Machinist Mate 2nd Class Liatesha Payne for their leadership and guidance.

Family inspired Mattila throughout boot camp.

“I have always been very close with them and they are the most important people in my life,” she said. “They have known how hard it was for me to adjust and leave home for the first time and their support really keeps me going. Whether it was through our few scheduled phone calls or letters, their words of love, motivation, and pride make everything all worth it. No matter what I’m going through, they always find a way to lift me up and help me push harder.”

Mattila said the biggest challenge she faced in boot camp was being away from family.

“I was going through separation anxiety and wasn’t handling it well,” she said. “I was ready to give up. My RDCs had a huge impact on my turnaround. They helped me flip my mindset and realize that I was making myself a victim of feeling homesick, rather than seeing what an amazing opportunity this is, and what I was capable of achieving. They’ve had a huge impact on my success at boot camp, and the lessons I’ve learned from them have made me a better, stronger person.”

Following graduation, Mattila attended the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. Cryptologic Technicians (Interpretive) conduct information operations using foreign language skills and advanced computer systems. They collect, analyze, and exploit foreign language communications signals of interest to identify, locate, and monitor worldwide threats.

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline.

More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only bootcamp.