President Ronald Reagan said, “Some people live an entire lifetime and wonder if they have ever made a difference in the world. A veteran doesn’t have that problem.”
In 1989, a young farm girl from Dayton, Ohio, walked into a U.S. Navy recruiting station with dreams of doing something meaningful with her life. Little did she know the path she was about to take would lead her to experiences beyond her wildest imagination.
Michelle Wynn’s first year of service saw the outbreak of Desert Storm, and she found herself serving in many countries, fulfilling her dreams of traveling the world. Over the course of her 24-year career, Wynn visited Cuba, St. Thomas, Italy, France, Spain, Greece, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Africa, Hong Kong, Australia, Oman, Seychelles, and India.
Wynn served in some of the most challenging and dangerous places, from fighting pirates off the Horn of Africa to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, where she had to endure the dangers of being a prison guard, facing the harsh realities of human conflict. “From fighting pirates to dodging spit and other human fluids from terrorists as a prison guard, I could talk all day about the adventures I had serving my country,” Wynn said.
Wynn said there were moments when she had to pinch herself, especially when she served as a helmsman on the bridge of a 700-foot-long U.S. Navy ship, guiding it through the Bermuda Triangle, Suez Canel, and the Strait of Gibraltar, to name a few. “The Navy is not just a job, it’s an adventure,” Wynn said. “That rings true to my life and time in the U.S. Navy.”
In 2000, Wynn returned to her hometown as a recruiter, where she recruited more than 80 men and women to serve their country in the U.S. Navy. “Although I’m now retired, I’m still in touch with many of them and will continue to follow their careers.”
For more than 24 years, Wynn stood the watch, even during the times when her own family needed her guidance, help, and hand to hold during hard times. She stood the watch so that her family and fellow countrymen could sleep safely each night, knowing there were men and women like her watching over them.
Wynn retired 11 years ago. Now, her watch stands relieved, carried on by those she trained, guided, and led. They now have the watch. “So when you see a military person, make sure to cast an eye and let them know you see and appreciate them,” Wynn said.
Wynn’s favorite quote is by President John F. Kennedy: “I can imagine no more rewarding a career. Any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile, I think can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, ‘I served in the United States Navy,'”
Wynn, a Canyon Lake resident, shares her experiences with the community, emphasizing the significance of “standing the watch” and the pride she has in the next generation of service members. This symbolic passing of the watch speaks to her leadership and lasting influence.
