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Janel Masson

Janel Masson

Retired from U.S Navy after 22 years active duty

"You do not always have to go looking for what you want to do, it may come to you."

Career Roadmap

Janel's work combines: Armed Services, Government, and Communicating / Sharing Stories

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Day In The Life

Commissioned Officer

I served for a total of 20 years as a Navy Officer, where I got to work in various places serving our country.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    Anthropology

    California State University, Fullerton

  • Certification

    Office Management and Supervision

    United States Naval Academy

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be a Commissioned Officer:

Bachelor's Degree: Navy/Marine Corps JROTC/ROTC

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    First, I was not the smartest out of all my siblings, I preferred to explore my surroundings.

  • 2.

    Then, I was not sure if I was going to get accepted into the officer candidate school

  • 3.

    After retiring, I could not find a job that paid more than minimum wage but with help from a friend I was able to see my options.

  • 4.

    While processing for selection to Officer Candidate School, I considered the option of continuing my education by applying to train as a registered nurse. I was accepted.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Peers:

    I experienced a lot of gender discrimination being a women in the navy my first year.

  • How I responded:

    I’ve dealt with discouragement by just learning to ignore it and work through the hard times.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

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  • I’ve overcome this obstacle by searching for help from my peers and learning different ways to help my financial problems.