Pam Dudding
Contributing writer
As graduating seniors embark on their futures, many options become available, excitement often enters their hearts and a new life chapter begins.
On October 8, 19-year old Angel Hutchison will be heading to Chicago to start boot camp in the United States Navy. She plans on becoming a CTI – Cryptologic Technician Interpretive – for her country.
Hutchison was born in Suitland, Maryland, on August 16, 2000, but has lived in Craig County since age five.
She is the daughter of Tink and Dina Hutchison and has a sister, Jade. Her uncle and aunts, Jose Dasilva, Michelle McPherson and Mindy Hutchison, and her grandmother Linda Hutchison are all supportive of her.
Angel shared that her family is elated about her decision, especially her dad, who served in the Navy from 1991 through 1995. “I am really stoked about her decision. I feel that she is safer in there than out in this world,” he said.
Tink added: “She will get to travel and see the world, and still have an opportunity for an education. When she completes her A and F school, she will receive a $25,000 sign-on bonus.”
“I was an engineman, a small boats operator and a diesel mechanic,” shared Tink who went to the Middle East at the tail end of Desert Storm. “I ran the LCMA boats, to take the marines into shore.”
Angel graduated from Craig County High School and was in the BETA Club. She has worked for almost two years at the local Food Country and is an active member in her church, Cornerstone in New Castle. She also volunteers for the annual Veterans and Active Military HONOR dinner, among other things.
“Now she will be a participant in a different capacity,” her mother said. “Angel is my firstborn, so this will be a bittersweet time, but we are beyond proud of her accomplishments and she is ready for this new chapter in her life.”
“I loved math and learning Spanish in school and also a bit of World History as well. Those subjects helped me make my career decision. College costs a lot of money, and I couldn’t think of any career that interested me, but the Navy offers so many different paths and careers and pays for it all,” she said. “I also look forward to learning different languages as a part of my job. Plus, I get to travel wherever in the world they want me to be, and I’ve wanted to travel ever since I was little.”
Angel shared that she feels her biggest challenge may be basic training, in having to “adjust to their stricter schedules.”
However, after boot camp, her travels will take her to Monterey, California, where she will start her training as a CTI – Cryptologic Technician Interpretive.
Angel noted, “A CTI serves as an expert in linguistics and deciphering information in other languages. I will look at different codes in various languages and will be interpreting them so that we can understand them.”
“This was sort of a spur of the moment thing as I was going into hacking, but since I have always had a fondness in learning other languages, this is what I believe I will enjoy,” she added.
Said her father, “Depending on the language, it is between 27 and 64 weeks of school in the Language Institute for a CTI. It’s my understanding that the day she enters there is no more English speaking. They teach you from the ground up.”
“Self-discipline is such an important thing for a person to learn,” said her parents before her dad added that he believes the USA was founded on character of discipline and belief in God.
“It is guidance and discipline, just like the pastor shared in service,” Dina said. “She had to do her part. We can only give her the tools and lay down the foundation, but she has to show up, and if she didn’t, she knew there were consequences. We had to give the right balance.”
“You could say, it was Dad’s muscle and her brains,” said her father with a smile.
“If she doesn’t make a career of it, she will still have the opportunity to go into Homeland Security, because that type of job is top-level clearance,” her dad added.
Angel has a message for other Craig County teenagers: “If you have dreams or aspirations that really interest you, simply go for it.”
