"If I see that you have potential, I'm going to try to pull that potential out of you," said Senior Chief Master-at-Arms Vermikalasha Strange aboard aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). "You might think I'm being mean or being hard; no, I'm challenging you to better yourself."

Strange uses her position as a senior chief to empower and motivate her Sailors. She left her home for boot camp Jan. 14, 1997, and saw the Navy as an opportunity to see and experience the world while receiving a paycheck.

At that time, her main goal was to make chief petty officer and retire at 20 years of service. It didn't take long for Strange to recognize the bigger picture for her career.

"My ultimate goal is to leave behind some type of legacy of training our relief," said Strange. "In addition, I want for our junior Sailors to have more persistence and keep pushing through, despite their frustrations. As senior enlisted personnel, we just have to continue to train them and educate them on the proper Navy values and heritage, so we don't lose it because of the constant change in our job."

As with anything worth having, the road to success isn't always smoothly paved. Strange encountered various challenges in getting to where she is now.

"I was not always an MA," said Strange. "I became an MA when you had to be an E-5 and above. I started off in the engineering rate, and I was as an undesignated fireman when I came in. My whole division was guys when I got to my first ship. I was the only female. I had a DIVO (divisional officer) who was a female. She encouraged me to not give up. Transitioning from engineering to MA, I encountered challenges because some guys didn't think I could do some of the watch stations that were required because I am a female. The Navy is an equal opportunity environment, therefore they had no choice but to give me the chance."

Just as Strange was inspired to overcome challenges throughout her career, she also looked to be an inspiration and provide a helping hand to her Sailors.

Strange saw potential in Master-At-Arms 2nd Class Anthony Koch, a Sailor in her shop. She believed in him so much she appointed him to a leadership position during the ship's material and maintenance management inspection (3MI), December 2016.

"I was delegated to help with inspections," said Koch. "This position forced me to expand my knowledge of 3M. During one of the spot checks, I actually corrected a spot checker. I was able to prevent something from going wrong because I had taken the initiative to further my knowledge."

Strange continually encourages Koch to stay focused and keep working towards the next goal.

Everything Strange does is in the best interest of her Sailors. In many ways she takes on a maternal role, and just like in any family, there will be a difference of opinion.

"I feel like most of my Sailors feel as though I am hard on them, when really all I want them to do is better themselves and not just do the minimum to get by," said Strange.

The trials she has faced throughout her career have helped her become a better leader because she is able to relate to her Sailors' various situations.

"At first I didn't have a lot of empathy for single parents, because I always felt as though people were using their child as an excuse to get out of work," said Strange. "To make up for the time they were gone, I told my Sailors whatever time they needed to get their children or pets situated was fine, but they had to come in after hours and make up that time so we could ensure we didn't fall behind on our workload. Now that I have a son and I am a single parent, I realize how tough it can be. I began to understand tough decisions, like 'Who do you call on when your child is sick?' Now that I'm a parent, I have a lot more empathy and patience."

Not only does Strange empathize with her Sailors, but she also takes the time to help them where she can.

"I have an open-door policy," said Strange. "I have a hectic schedule, but I will stay behind. I make it a point to get out during cleaning stations and not only ask how my Sailors' weekend was, but also see if they need my help. If I see that something seems off with them, I encourage them to come talk to me."

Having such a busy schedule combined with the rotation of the work schedule in her department, Strange depends a lot on her petty officers first class as well as the Chiefs Mess to help get the job done.

"For many of our Sailors, this is their first ship," said Strange. "We've been in their position. I don't know everything, but I know the Chiefs Mess, so I will reach out to get the needed information. There is always someone else that I can approach to get the answers my Sailors need."

In addition to assisting junior Sailors, Strange also provides guidance where she can to younger officers.

"A lot of officers are just as young as our junior Sailors," said Strange. "If we don't teach them, who will? They get it when they get out of school, but they don't know the Navy way; so they depend on us to help them learn the way and steer them in the right direction."

If Sailors aren't inspired to do anything else, Strange wants them to be inspired to always keep pushing forward.

"I hope to instill 'never give up,'" said Strange. "I don't want my Sailors to ever give up. A lot of them feel like they will just do their four years and get out. If they try to push that much further, then in the worst-case scenario, if they need the Navy, they've shown their chain of command they're worth saving; so don't count me out, and don't count yourself out."

Strange surpassed her personal goal of becoming a chief, and continues to encourage and help other Sailors to do the same.

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