By Renee Hatcher
NAWCWD Public Affairs

SK1 Theresa Goldstrand joined the Navy Reserves later than most, but quickly made up for lost time. In April, she was named the NAVAIR Reserve Program Sailor of the Year for 2007, and is hoping to advance to chief petty officer soon.

“Getting this award surprised me,” Goldstrand said. “I work with a very talented group of professionals who are also reserve shipmates. After 20 years of being a reservist and serving in a lot of different capacities, not without some struggles, it’s really gratifying to get this recognition.”

Goldstrand, who joined the Navy Reserves at the age of 37, said her love for the Navy came directly from her father, a World War II veteran.

“Dad was career Navy, a fire control technician,” Goldstrand said of her late father, “and he was a chief through and through.”

Goldstrand’s family came to China Lake in 1959 when her father retired from the Navy and took a civilian job at Michelson Lab. There, he worked on several major programs including Sidewinder, Bullpup, and Shrike.

After graduating from Burroughs High School, Goldstrand attended college as a fine arts major, traveled a bit, met her husband, and moved to Colorado where they lived until moving back to Ridgecrest in 2004. In January 2005, Goldstrand started drilling with the China Lake reservists. About a year later, she was asked to help form a new organization of reservists to provide exclusive support to the NAWCWD Weapons Engagement Office (WEO).

“Since February 2006, the WEO has relied upon Theresa to set up, develop, organize, manage and maintain the emerging relationship between the WEO civilians and WEO reservists,” said Wayne Willhite, head of the WEO. “Her civilian skills and experience coupled with her reservist capacity dove-tailed perfectly into the requirements needed to provide real-time WEO support.”

Goldstrand said her previous administrative experience and journalism background came in handy as she was establishing NAVAIR 0366 Detachment B because it was like creating a brand new start-up business that required a variety of skills.

“Joining the Navy Reserves has been, professionally and personally, the best thing I could have ever done,” said Goldstrand, who had 7- and 10-year-old sons when she signed up for the Reserves. “It was an adjustment for my husband and the boys but it all worked out.”

The discipline and the travel are two of the things Goldstrand said she loves most about the Reserves. Her first love, however, is writing. She is a romance author with three hardback books published by New York City publisher, Avalon. Drawing from some of her own experiences, Goldstrand’s first book, “Love in Motion”, is set in the Mojave Desert using a vintage car rally through Death Valley as the backdrop. Some of her other work has also been published in True West Magazine, Network Magazine, the Colorado publication Fence Post, and locally in the Daily Independent.

In addition to the Sailor of the Year honor, Goldstrand was also recognized recently with a Flag Letter of Commendation, a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Letter, and was named NASC 0366 Detachment B Sailor of the Year.

“I’m lucky to have Capt. Jeff Canclini as my commanding officer,” said Goldstrand, who is currently serving at the WEO on active duty for special work. “He appreciated my skills and allowed me the freedom to be creative while doing my job. My priority has always been, and remains, serving the Navy, my unit, and my shipmates.”