Damage Controlman, Corpsman, Crash Fire, Dental Technician, Combat Medic and now Security Training Officer at Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF), Barking Sands, Kelly Capuano has had a variety of job descriptions. After serving in the Navy and the Hawaii Army National Guard, Capuano found herself back at home on the island of Kauai and has been working on PMRF since 2006.
The opportunity to spend time with her grandparents brought her back to Kauai, but it was the community that helped keep her here. Capuano expressed that she felt as though she had lost a part of herself when away from the island serving as a combat medic in Iraq. Being involved in the community and volunteering has helped her to find it again.
“What gives me purpose in life is giving back to the community,” she said, “because when I went to Iraq, the community was there for me.”
One important way Capuano has found to be involved with the community is through Team Rubicon, a non-profit disaster relief organization. Her main job for Team Rubicon is recruitment, however she regularly organizes volunteer events, community involvement, and training. She explained that even though Team Rubicon is designed for disaster relief, there is still plenty to do in the absence of a crisis.
Although Capuano is in a leadership position and has found many ways to feel fulfilled, she said being a woman in a male-dominated field can be a challenge. She expressed that in many ways she feels she has to be constantly proving herself. She said she has to be aware of her credibility to be sure that anyone is comfortable approaching her, male or female.
“As a female you're always being tested,” she said. “Can you do what they do and can you do it better? It's challenging for me, but it's also rewarding because it's all about being credible.”
Despite these challenges, Capuano makes an active effort to continually better herself and learn from others, taking the best characteristics she sees in others and working to incorporate those into herself and her methods.
“Everyone is different and everyone has good attributes to them, good qualities,” she said. “To me, inspiring people to follow, inspiring people to come to work, inspiring people to lead, that’s a leader.”
She strives to be the best version of herself and a person others can turn to. She exemplifies this in always taking accountability for her own actions. Taking inspiration from everyone around her allows her to hold herself to the highest standard possible. To Capuano, accountability means never allowing anyone else to dictate her choices.
“If you make decisions based on others, then you can only blame others, not yourself, and that’s not what you want to do,” said Capuano. “You want to make a decision so you can either reap the benefits or learn from mistakes.”
She expresses that being a part of the community is a piece of the bigger picture of belonging. Continuing to build on this purpose in life, she finds happiness and inspiration in each day, striving to never remain stagnant and always continue her personal growth.
You are the key to your own happiness and fulfillment, she explained.
“Success,” she said, “is only in you.”