MSW Application 2

Capacity for Self-Improvement

Susan Castro

University of Louisville

My Growth

My tenure in the United States NAVY was a fluctuation of my self-confidence. Through my experiences in the military, I can evaluate a situation and employ my strengths or use my weaknesses as assets. My self-confidence was tested, broken, and reinstated many times throughout my enlistment. Experiencing and understanding how military training works will assist me in the Military Social Work Field.

While onboard the USS PELELIU (LHS-5), a military ship one of the weaknesses I reversed was my self-confidence. I was intimidated by the male-dominated job and how I would compare to them. I let intimidation cloud my thoughts and, I made a mistake that led to me being reprimanded, embarrassed, and feeling completely worthless. I ran towards a helicopter from the front which could and should have caused a fatal injury. Luckily, due to my vertical stature of 5 feet and 2 inches, I escaped this experience with my head intact however, it frightened everyone who was there and led to me being retrained and retested to continue my job. This incident could have hindered my self-confidence beyond repair but with extra training and leadership support, I gained confidence in my ability to do the job and I began to excel. I realized the criticism was needed for me to understand the severity of the mistake and the training empowered me to continue the job. My ability to overcome criticism proved to leadership I can learn from my mistakes and take the necessary measures to prevent them in the future. Finding my self-confidence through these types of experiences allows me to be aware of my strengths and weaknesses. It gives me the confidence to request more training or simply ask for assistance instead of being too intimidated to speak up. I can apply this in the military social work field to help build confidence, self-worth, and empowerment in service members, veterans, and their families.