January 24, 2025

The memory burns bright in her mind as she sees the scene reflected before her. Like last time, her mother stands in the audience, watching her life once again change forever. Now though, 10 years have lessened the worry in her mother’s eyes, but never dulled the pride. Now, instead of being surrounded by strangers, she is surrounded by friends. Now, instead of an easily forgotten stranger, her Commanding Officer, Cmdr. Justan Caesar waves her forward to join him at the front of the stage. Now, as she takes her place and raises her right hand, the words she says, the oath she swears is different.
Spring of 2015, in Miami, Florida

The hum of the air-conditioning in the military entrance processing station (MEPS) roars dully in the background, broken up by quiet conversations taking place around her. There’s an air of anxiety and excitement to the building, each person who makes their way through these halls is leaving something behind in an effort to become something different. She steps forward when her name is called, glancing at her mother in the crowd behind her as she walks to the front of the room where a man in uniform waits for her.

“Please raise your right hand and repeat after me.”

Her mother’s eyes hold a thousand thoughts as she watches. Pride in what she is becoming, worry for her safety, joy that she found a purpose, sorrow that the purpose will take her away.

“I, Tatayna Marshall, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States of America…”

Ten years later: January 24, 2025

“Having been appointed an officer in the Navy of the United States, as indicated above in the grade of Ensign, I solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic, that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same…”

As she finishes the oath of office, Yeoman 1st Class Tatayna Marshall leaves her enlistment behind and joins the ranks of the few. Not only is she now a part of the 15% of the Navy that are officers, she has joined into the even smaller community of Navy “Mustangs”.

“It wasn’t too cold. It’s winter in Japan but the moment was perfect,” explains Marshall, her dark eyes brightening as she remembers the day. “It was sunny, no clouds in the sky, which was the opposite of how I was feeling. I was happy at the moment and super excited but in the same breath, I was anxious about the ceremony as a whole because I had spent a lot of time preparing for it.”

Marshall grew up in Miami, Florida and joined the Navy after graduating from Miami Northwestern Senior High School.

“I joined the Navy to provide support for my family, for job security, and to step out of my shell and prove to myself that I could excel,” she explains. “It was emotional for my mom. She was super happy for me, and super proud of me, but it was emotional for her. I didn’t struggle with what I wanted to do after I graduated from high school. We didn’t have the means or resources for me to go away for school, so I took a big step in saying that I wanted to join the Navy. It was a proud moment for her to see that I was able to set a goal for myself and accomplish it.”

After joining the Navy, Marshall constantly strove to prove herself, and excel wherever the Navy placed her. After eight years on the East Coast, Marshall received orders to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Ralph Johnson (DDG 114) in October, 2023.

“I was excited when I first received my orders,” said Marshall. “I joined the Navy to see the world and I was excited for the opportunity to serve overseas and in the Navy highest tempo theater.”

During her time aboard Ralph Johnson, she decided it was time to strive for something new.

“I decided to become an officer for the betterment of myself and for Sailors as whole,” says Marshall, leaning forward in her chair as if to emphasize her words. “I wholeheartedly believe that we need to become the change that we want to see. When I joined the military, I didn’t see many women who wore the officers crest so I am thankful for the opportunity to be selected. “

As Marshall starts her new journey, she aims to inspire as many others as she can. Inspire them the same way the people in her life, family, friends and mentors drove her to succeed. For how important each of them was, she said one person in her life deserves more praise them most. A figure that has helped to shape her in to the person she is today. The woman in her life that made her strive to be that role model for someone else.

“As big of an accomplishment as it is for me, I want to say that she (my mother) should feel a sense of accomplishment for herself because she has poured so much of herself into my life.” Her voice softens and she smiles as she says, “She’s always encouraging me to strive to do better, go harder, go further in life, and to not let no be the end goal, or someone else’s ‘no’ be my ‘no’. I know that she felt a sense of pride and joy knowing that her daughter was able to meet this milestone and accomplishment.”

The journey to commissioning was long but that sense of accomplishment Marshall felt as she took her oath that winter morning is something she wants to share with others. For any Sailors interested in following Marshall’s path and commissioning, she offered the following advice.

“Do your own research on whatever program you are interested in. Apply yourself. Ensure you are eligible. Volunteer for hard jobs, they will pay off later. Don’t take no for an answer. Everyone’s stories and paths are different from mine, but the drive to be excellent is the same for everyone.”

That same passion that drove her to join, drove her to excel, drove her to commission is what she now takes with her into her new career as an administrative limited duty officer.

When she swore her oath on a sunny day in January at the Chapel of Hope onboard Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka…
As a scene repeated from nine years earlier…
Her friends smiled, her mother cried, and her title changed to Ensign