Having grown up in a military household -- her father is a career infantryman in the Guam National Guard -- El Jessica Joi Balajadia knew at a very young age that she wanted to be an American soldier.
In 2009 at age 32, Balajadia decided to finally make this dream happen. Leaving her four children in the capable hands of her husband, she made the journey across 16 time zones from Yona, Guam, to Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri, to report for basic training.
“I just wanted to be a soldier,” now-Army Spc. Balajadia said. She’s currently participating in her first international exercise with a detachment from the 797th Engineer Company, based out of the U.S. Army Reserve Center in Barrigada, Guam.
Exercise Cobra Gold 2015 has brought Balajadia and her unit to Thailand, tasking them with the construction of a new facility at an elementary school in Ban Nhong-Plong, located in the Chai Badan District.
“With [my father], it was always about being ready to adapt and change to any obstacle,” she said. “He got out when I was in my teens, but I still carry that mindset with me now.”
Pursuing Her Dream
After injuring her ankles and heels during training, Balajadia was kept on medical hold for seven months and eventually discharged from the service. She returned home disappointed, but with renewed determination.
Over the next three years she rehabbed her injuries and found ways to stay involved with the local military units. She eventually came to accept the 797th as her second family.
In 2012, she left again in pursuit of her dream. Balajadia graduated basic training after her second attempt, and upon completion of her military occupational specialty school, she officially became a sister to her brothers-in-arms from the 797th Engineer Company.
“In truth, I knew that I would belong in this unit,” Balajadia said. “I really wanted an opportunity to experience that cohesion; it’s a family thing with 797. Where I come from in the civilian side, it’s just like that -- all about family. That’s how we are in Guam.”
A Special Bond
One of only two females in the tight-knit unit, she has forged a special bond with Army Sgt. Noryann Larimer, who shares her military occupational specialty in carpentry and masonry.
At 27, Larimer is 11 years Balajadia’s junior. But Larimer has already served tours in Thailand, India and Germany –- Cobra Gold 15 is her fourth experience constructing a building from the ground up on unfamiliar soil.
“Me, as the newbie, would come to her and ask, ‘Is this the right tool? How do I do this? Is this the right way?’” Balajadia said.
When they’re not on active-duty orders, Larimer works as a ramp agent for Delta Air Lines and Balajadia works in construction administration. Prior to joining the Army Reserve, neither soldier had any intricate understanding of the construction field.
Both women took their oaths of enlistment with the understanding that not only were they joining an already male-dominant culture in the military, but that they would be entering into a field that was even more so.
Dispelling Preconceptions
As the only females contributing to project, they said they believe that they must maintain a high degree of enthusiasm, demonstrate their collective technical expertise, and dispel any preconceived notions their international comrades might have had coming into the exercise.
“At the beginning, the Thais looked at us with shock, like, ‘What are they doing here?’” Balajadia recalled, laughing. “But as they saw us work, pick up blocks, shovel cement ....”
“Even just talking to us,” chimed in Larimer, “[they observed], ‘Whoa -- these aren’t your typical girls.’ It all goes back to us wanting to prove ourselves.”
Balajadia feels that her motherly intuition has allowed her to contribute to the project in unique ways. When deadlines approach and tension is high, she takes a step back, assesses the situation, and then tackles the behind-the-scenes dirty work -- something that almost comes naturally to a mother of four.
“I’ve tried a vast majority of the things that the skilled workers do, so now I put myself in positions to support them,” Balajadia said. “I’ll help where I can and do my part in making sure what they need is there. At the end of the day, when we’re almost done working, I’ll make sure that everything is taken care of so that they can just be done and not have to clean the gear or shovel cement. They put down their tools and the place is already pretty tidied up.”
A Different Perspective
Larimer aspires to be an Army careerist and move into the commissioned officer ranks one day. She said she will continue taking challenges in stride in order to hone her craft as both a constructor and leader.
“One day, when I’m an officer, I want to be that person they look at and say, ‘She knows her stuff,” Larimer said. “When I get there, I want to be able to tell my juniors that I understand their struggles and help them get to where I am.”
As their project in Thailand winds down, both soldiers have gained experiences in their field that will make them better soldier-citizens.
“This is a whole different perspective on life,” Balajadia said. “You see buildings come up all over the world, but working with the Thais and Chinese in this country is probably something I’ll never get a chance to do again.”