Military life can be arduous and some Sailors may require a pull in the right direction. The Athena Society, a female-driven organization, is making strides toward changing the way networking, morale, guidance, and camaraderie radiates aboard Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Essex (LHD 2).

The five-person group is made up of all ranks and backgrounds, aiming toward ensuring a complete slice of experience and diversity is represented on board.

A primary goal The Athena Society intends to establish is a sisterhood among the females of Essex. Even with this goal in mind, the organization is not limited to women exclusively. Males are welcome to attend and show support for the overall effort of what the group plans to accomplish.

Sponsorship and mentorship are two of the tools The Athena Society will utilize in order to provide support for new or struggling Sailors who may need that extra bit of guidance or encouragement.

"When new check-ins arrive, they naturally identify with one another and start to hang out," said Interior Communications Electrician 3rd Class Erikka Lechman, president of The Athena Society. "It eventually becomes a game of blind leading the blind. If you have someone with more experience guiding you every step of the way, or showing you the ropes, it's going to increase your chances of succeeding."

Aviation Support Equipment Technician 3rd Class Christine Lachico, vice president of The Athena Society, echoed Lechman's thoughts.

"We want to mitigate the stressors of ship life and act as a mentorship program where people can come talk to us and ask us about everything they're confused about," she said. "This should be an outlet to females where they can help get their qualifications and advice and what ever they may need. We want to make people feel a little bit more comfortable knowing that people will be around for you and there are some familiar faces."

By and large, The Athena Society stands as a support and morale-driven organization. They're making an active effort to reach out to Sailors through various mediums aboard Essex. They will hold frequent board meetings, meet and greet events, and other social activities.

Additionally, they plan to host activities such as 5K runs, movie nights, game nights, and ice cream socials, promoting positivity aboard Essex.

For more news from USS Essex (LHD 2), visit http://www.navy.mil/.