Forging a Strong Career Starting at Vulcan Forge

As the sun rises in Anniston Alabama PFC Tinaybe CrispoSuarez, a soldier with the 100th Chaplain Detachment out of St. Petersburg FL, zeroes her weapon as she shakes off the nerves. For the first time since basic training in 2024, she pulls the trigger and makes adjustments until she is zeroed and can move to her next hurdle, weapons qualification.
Crispo is currently participating in Vulcan Forge, a training event for units and detachments in the Mission Command Support Group of the 81st Readiness Division to maintain readiness and competence in basic soldier skills. The training event covers weapons qualification, soldier readiness programs, and the Army Fitness Test.
While the army is her part time job it is helping support her through school. The added financial security the army provides helps make school and life more stable. She currently is pursuing a degree in cyber security using the Montgomery GI Bill while working part time as a pharmacy tech.
While Crispo is training in Alabama, she is from Ad Bayamon Puerto Rico. She joined the army as a chaplain assistant, a role she was born to play. Both of her parents are Protestant pastors in Puerto Rico and Crispo brings an additional skill to the army, fluency in Spanish.
Enlisting was not a decision she took lightly and initially had push back from her family. After taking her Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) her recruiter told her she qualified to be a Religious Affairs Specialist, and that made the decision for her. “My Dad and I were praying about it and I said if I pass it that this is my path”. After completing Basic Training and Advanced Individual Training at Fort Jackson, she returned home to serve in Puerto Rico. She transferred to the 100th Chaplain Detachment in pursuit of deployment and looks forward to serving troops overseas.
When asked about the future she talked about the stress of handling civilian and military life, but she is excited to continue her service. She hopes to someday become an instructor for the US Army Institute for Religious Leadership while pursuing a civilian career in her cybersecurity. With native fluency in Spanish and the skills she has learned in training and on the job, she will be able to assist soldiers in more ways and help soldiers keep their spirit strong in accordance with the Holistic Health and Fitness Doctrine.
As the Alabama sun beat down, Crispo completed her qualification just like she had done in basic training, completing the first task of Vulcan Forge.