CRANE, Ind. – “My dad was a Marine, and his last duty station was at NSWC Crane,” says Theresa Magnus, who is currently on a year-long detail as an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Specialist at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane).
“That’s when we moved to this region, but I didn’t start my career working here. I was working for an academic institution when I wanted to seek out better opportunities for myself to be able to do more for my family. I enrolled in night classes to receive my Associates Degree while working full-time and raising my kids.”
After receiving her degree, Magnus then transitioned into a career at Crane. She has worked in financials for more than eleven years.
“The mission of supporting the warfighter has always been a passion of mine,” says Magnus. “My dad loved being a U.S. Marine; it was important to him. At Crane I’m able to support the military, and in a way, pay tribute to him and his service.”
Magnus worked most of those years as a member of the Business and Financial Management Division. Employees in this division are embedded within the technical divisions to serve their needs.
“Teamwork is instilled within our group of financial experts,” says Magnus. “Even though we are located in different places, we work together to share knowledge and best practices to best support each technical division,” says Magnus. “Teamwork is critical as well while working alongside the technical divisions. That’s what it takes to make a project successful and to execute the mission.”
Magnus says she recently had the opportunity to step outside her comfort zone and work at EEO for a year.
“It was an opportunity to learn something I hadn’t experienced before,” says Magnus. “So far, it has helped me take a step back and change my focus. I’ve been able to see things differently and from a new perspective which has helped me see the bigger picture. Once this detail is completed, I will have a broader, more in-depth understanding that will impact my next role.”
She says she is able to explore new ways of helping people in this position.
“As an EEO Specialist, I help the Crane workforce to better understand diversity and inclusion through the Special Emphasis program and work to address issues regarding discrimination. Another function of the job is to help people receive reasonable accommodations so they can work. My father became deaf later in life and struggled to be understood in public and to be independent. Seeing him experience this first hand inspired me to ensure others have the tools they need to help them be productive and function.”
Magnus says each person’s role is important to the mission.
“What motivates me is knowing I am leaving some kind of legacy, though that doesn’t necessarily mean that people will know my name. Even though you may think you are just a cog in the wheel, each cog fits together to become part of something bigger that results in our successes here. Each of us can be part of why a warfighter comes home! My goal is to do my best in whatever role I’m in, to continue supporting the warfighter to be a part of these successes.”
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.