1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:00,000 2 00:00:05,679 --> 00:00:07,750 Hi , I'm Corporal Avery LaVoy . I'm 3 00:00:07,750 --> 00:00:09,972 from Waxall , North Carolina , which is 4 00:00:09,972 --> 00:00:11,750 just south of Charlotte , North 5 00:00:11,750 --> 00:00:13,806 Carolina . I graduated from Parkwood 6 00:00:13,806 --> 00:00:15,806 High School . I'm a military police 7 00:00:15,806 --> 00:00:17,528 canine handler at Marine Corps 8 00:00:17,528 --> 00:00:19,528 Logistics Base Albany , Georgia . I 9 00:00:19,528 --> 00:00:21,417 joined the Marine Corps because I 10 00:00:21,417 --> 00:00:21,239 really felt like that's where God was 11 00:00:21,239 --> 00:00:23,461 calling me to be and I really felt like 12 00:00:23,461 --> 00:00:26,040 he was pushing me to better myself and 13 00:00:26,040 --> 00:00:28,262 really challenge myself , especially in 14 00:00:28,262 --> 00:00:30,879 a group of men that I knew were going 15 00:00:30,879 --> 00:00:33,279 to consistently challenge me . The men 16 00:00:33,279 --> 00:00:35,168 definitely stepped up like in the 17 00:00:35,168 --> 00:00:37,400 Marine Corps . I could not imagine a 18 00:00:37,400 --> 00:00:40,200 better family to be a part of , and my 19 00:00:40,200 --> 00:00:43,959 brothers definitely are . Very 20 00:00:43,959 --> 00:00:45,959 protective and great to be around . 21 00:00:45,959 --> 00:00:48,015 That's honestly the biggest reason I 22 00:00:48,015 --> 00:00:50,015 join the Marine Corps . I think the 23 00:00:50,015 --> 00:00:49,959 thing I enjoy most about working with 24 00:00:49,959 --> 00:00:52,599 my dog is the fact that he is so 25 00:00:52,599 --> 00:00:56,000 attentive to my emotions and if I'm 26 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,056 having a bad day , he's having a bad 27 00:00:58,056 --> 00:00:59,889 day so it really kind of puts my 28 00:00:59,889 --> 00:01:02,056 emotions in check on a daily basis and 29 00:01:02,056 --> 00:01:03,944 I'm like , oh , humble yourself a 30 00:01:03,944 --> 00:01:06,111 little bit like these dogs will humble 31 00:01:06,111 --> 00:01:08,056 you more than anybody ever could I 32 00:01:08,056 --> 00:01:10,440 promise you that and they are so 33 00:01:10,440 --> 00:01:12,760 incredible because my . Team is not 34 00:01:12,760 --> 00:01:15,080 just my dog but multiple dogs and 35 00:01:15,080 --> 00:01:16,969 multiple handlers that I have the 36 00:01:16,969 --> 00:01:19,191 luxury of working with on a daily basis 37 00:01:19,279 --> 00:01:21,223 and getting to see these different 38 00:01:21,223 --> 00:01:23,223 teams and how they communicate with 39 00:01:23,223 --> 00:01:25,335 each other and how they work together 40 00:01:25,335 --> 00:01:28,550 and work as an even greater team as the 41 00:01:28,550 --> 00:01:31,519 kennels , especially with just so many 42 00:01:31,519 --> 00:01:33,352 challenges that come up with our 43 00:01:33,352 --> 00:01:35,575 missions and everything we have to do . 44 00:01:35,575 --> 00:01:37,741 It's really cool how at the end of the 45 00:01:37,741 --> 00:01:39,963 day like everything gets done and these 46 00:01:39,963 --> 00:01:42,130 dogs continue to work for us . I think 47 00:01:42,130 --> 00:01:44,352 it's all about the time that you put in 48 00:01:44,352 --> 00:01:46,352 to not only yourself but the people 49 00:01:46,352 --> 00:01:48,352 around you , and I think that it is 50 00:01:48,352 --> 00:01:50,463 extremely crucial to once you get out 51 00:01:50,463 --> 00:01:52,630 of that 9 to 5 job in the Marine Corps 52 00:01:52,630 --> 00:01:54,575 sometimes that schedule looks very 53 00:01:54,575 --> 00:01:56,741 different that you make sure that your 54 00:01:56,741 --> 00:01:58,908 5 to 9 schedule is just as important . 55 00:01:58,908 --> 00:02:00,908 And just as valuable taking care of 56 00:02:00,908 --> 00:02:02,908 yourself is extremely important and 57 00:02:02,908 --> 00:02:04,852 making sure that like you are also 58 00:02:04,852 --> 00:02:06,908 prioritizing yourself and the Marine 59 00:02:06,908 --> 00:02:08,963 Corps at the same time that way when 60 00:02:08,963 --> 00:02:11,019 you show up to work the next day you 61 00:02:11,019 --> 00:02:13,075 are refreshed and you know like what 62 00:02:13,075 --> 00:02:15,241 your Marines need and what you need to 63 00:02:15,241 --> 00:02:17,241 kind of get through the day . And I 64 00:02:17,241 --> 00:02:19,463 really think that it is important to go 65 00:02:19,463 --> 00:02:21,686 to school because it is free for us and 66 00:02:21,686 --> 00:02:23,908 it is important to volunteer . I cannot 67 00:02:23,908 --> 00:02:26,075 say that enough , but it's also really 68 00:02:26,075 --> 00:02:28,075 important to take time to find your 69 00:02:28,075 --> 00:02:30,186 hobbies . This is a great environment 70 00:02:30,186 --> 00:02:32,241 to be able to do that in because you 71 00:02:32,241 --> 00:02:34,186 have the money for it . You're not 72 00:02:34,186 --> 00:02:36,241 spending it on the cost of living or 73 00:02:36,241 --> 00:02:35,809 anything like that like everybody else , 74 00:02:35,929 --> 00:02:37,929 so it's a great opportunity to just 75 00:02:37,929 --> 00:02:39,873 prioritize yourself and the people 76 00:02:39,873 --> 00:02:42,040 around you and don't lose sight of the 77 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:43,929 family that kind of got you there 78 00:02:44,220 --> 00:02:46,220 because I know my family had a huge 79 00:02:46,220 --> 00:02:48,053 factor in like supporting me and 80 00:02:48,053 --> 00:02:50,109 getting exactly where I am today . I 81 00:02:50,109 --> 00:02:52,109 think one of my proudest moments is 82 00:02:52,109 --> 00:02:54,276 validating and certifying with my NW , 83 00:02:54,276 --> 00:02:56,389 and I didn't even know , but the 84 00:02:56,389 --> 00:02:58,389 sergeant Maer came up to me and was 85 00:02:58,389 --> 00:02:58,309 like , Did you know that you're the 86 00:02:58,309 --> 00:03:01,130 first female Marine canine handler 87 00:03:01,130 --> 00:03:03,130 Marine Corps which space Albany has 88 00:03:03,130 --> 00:03:05,419 ever had certify and validate on a dog ? 89 00:03:05,619 --> 00:03:07,730 And I'm not sure if that's because no 90 00:03:07,730 --> 00:03:10,070 other female has come here to do such a 91 00:03:10,070 --> 00:03:12,070 thing , but I thought it was really 92 00:03:12,070 --> 00:03:14,292 cool because sometimes you don't really 93 00:03:14,292 --> 00:03:14,070 know your proudest moments until after 94 00:03:14,070 --> 00:03:16,292 they've already happened . I definitely 95 00:03:16,292 --> 00:03:18,403 do just want to say thank you for the 96 00:03:18,403 --> 00:03:20,348 recognition of being Marine of the 97 00:03:20,348 --> 00:03:22,570 Quarter and then Marine of the Year . I 98 00:03:22,570 --> 00:03:24,681 think that it was a great honor and I 99 00:03:24,681 --> 00:03:27,014 really want to thank some of my mentors . 100 00:03:27,014 --> 00:03:29,237 I know Sergeant Dolly had a huge impact 101 00:03:29,237 --> 00:03:31,348 on me and Sergeant Gezi hadn't even . 102 00:03:31,348 --> 00:03:33,237 Bigger impact on me as one of the 103 00:03:33,237 --> 00:03:35,292 female mentors that really taught me 104 00:03:35,292 --> 00:03:37,459 that just because you're a female does 105 00:03:37,459 --> 00:03:39,514 not mean you can't just compete with 106 00:03:39,514 --> 00:03:41,681 the men on a daily basis but also that 107 00:03:41,681 --> 00:03:43,903 you don't have to make it a competition 108 00:03:43,903 --> 00:03:43,759 at all and that you could just work 109 00:03:43,759 --> 00:03:45,759 side by side with them like they're 110 00:03:45,759 --> 00:03:46,199 your brothers .