“| decided to join the Navy after visiting the U.S. Naval Academy for a track and field recruiting visit in 2005. After my visit, I was deeply inspired and knew that if I chose the Naval Academy, I would be dedicating at least a part of my life and career to something bigger than myself. I graduated from the Academy in 2010 and was commissioned as one of the first female submarine warfare officers. Prior to 2010, only men were permitted to serve aboard submarines.After serving as a submarine officer for several years, I transitioned into the Navy JAG Corps, which allowed me to obtain my law degree from Emory University and become a military attorney. I am currently serving as a JAG Corps officer at the Pentagon, working in Administrative Law.
Now that I have transitioned into the legal field, my service to others has changed. Beginning in law school, I had the opportunity to intern with the Georgia Innocence Project (GIP). The mission of GIP is to help wrongfully convicted individuals seek exoneration through the courts. One man, whose case I studied as an intern, was finally released in 2021 after being wrongfully convicted of four separate sexual assaults in 1981 and spending the last 41 years in prison. I also had an opportunity to work as an intern for a public defender’s office, serving individuals who could not afford private legal counsel.
“I am grateful to the Navy for giving me the chance to participate in these internships because it made me a much more compassionate and empathetic attorney and leader. As many of my mentors have said over and again, at the end of the day, our people are our greatest resource in the Navy. So when I approach legal issues or tasks, I focus on the individual human beings who might be affected and try to find ways to best serve them, the mission and my shipmates.
My ability to grow from these challenges, appreciate new and different perspectives, and give back through my nearly 13 years of military service – all started in Nanticoke, at GNA. I would have never stepped foot on the Academy campus if it were not for GNA athletics. I played basketball and ran track and cross country at GNA. Track and field gave me the opportunity to meet the Academy coach and team during a recruiting visit, where I became inspired to apply. Beyond just getting my foot in the door, my experience as one of the captains of the basketball and track teams shaped my journey as a future leader. I learned a lot of important lessons in high school, many of which carried over into military life, such as learning how to lead a team of my peers, upholding standards, and holding myself accountable to my team. It was at GNA that I was able to make mistakes and learn from them, so I could grow into the leader I am today. Now, as an officer, I lead sailors – sometimes through very difficult ordeals. I am grateful for the foundation that started at GNA, and I hope that is inspiring to some.”
Abigail Gesecki Holt, 2006
JAG Corps Officer, Lawyer
United States Navy
For more information about the JAG Corps, visit https://www.jag.navy.mil/
Disclaimer: All opinions expressed in this article are that of Abigail Holt and not representative of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or U.S. Government.
