FORT SHAFTER, Hawaii – Shifting your future can be a daunting task, but for Pfc. Tiara Berrien it was a task well worth the effort. From a troubled past to thriving Soldier, Berrien overcame challenges to redefine her future in the Army.
Berrien, born and raised in Orlando, Florida, struggled with her life in the tropical paradise, but she was soon caught up with the wrong crowd. She would stick with this crowd all throughout her childhood and didn’t see a way out. Her only solace was her family.
From spending time with her father during cross-country trips to talking endlessly with her siblings, her family was always a huge part of her life and the leading influence to be better than her surroundings. However, her solution was in front of her all along. Berrien has two Army veteran uncles and a sister currently serving in the Army Reserves. Berrien saw the Army as a viable option.
“My sister motivated and inspired me a lot. Seeing her go through basic training made me think I could do it too,” said Berrien.
During high school, Berrien decided to enlist in the Army, but as swift as a strike of lightning, a wrench was thrown into her life. Her family needed her help. Almost three years later, at the age of 21, Berrien finally joined the Army and began the process of changing her life.
Army basic combat training was a challenging time for Berrien. During this time, contact with her family was restricted as the drill sergeants tested her physical and mental limits. Berrien thought about how basic made her think of her sister. She wondered how her sister was able to deal with the separation from their family and the exhausting days. Berrien pushed on and traveled the arduous path that is becoming an American Soldier. Eventually, she completed BCT and moved to her advanced individual training. After five grueling months in AIT, she was finally certified as a transportation management coordinator.
After AIT, Berrien was stationed at Fort Shafter, Hawaii, where she joined the ranks of the support operations transportation branch in the 8th Theater Sustainment Command. Here her BCT struggles manifested again. With the distance from her family and the new environment, she was lost, but those feelings were laid to rest as she found another family that she could rely on.
“The section (support operations branch) was very welcoming,” said Berrien. “They welcomed me into their life and made me feel comfortable.”
With this newest transition in Berrien’s life came a new form of growth. Building upon what she had learned while in AIT, she gained a lot of knowledge only accessible through practice and patience. She ventured beyond her life back home and gained new insights on her new life as a Soldier in the Pacific. Berrien learned what it was like to work with a team and how to work as a team member in her field. She began to leave a mark that only she could leave.
“At first, Pfc. Berrien wasn’t super engaged, but as time moved on, she really came into her own. She is bright and really pushes herself to be better,” said Sgt. 1st Class Nichelle Conway, the transportation operations branch noncommissioned officer in charge assigned to the 8th TSC.
This transformation manifested during her latest mission to Guam for Exercise Valiant Shield 2024.
“Berrien broke out of her shell and took charge,” said Conway. “She went above and beyond her own duties to help these Soldiers.”
In May 2024, the 8th TSC provided logistical support to units moving through Guam. Berrien assisted Soldiers from the 62nd Medical Brigade, 593rd Expeditionary Sustainment Command with movement involving the Seacor Lee, an offshore support vessel. She ensured the cargo and the movement of the cargo was properly managed, until she realized the 62nd Medical Brig. lacked the people to efficiently complete their mission.
“Berrien volunteered to assist the 62nd Medical Brig. while performing movement control and cargo handling that were critical to mission success,” said Conway. “Her willingness to step up and her proactive commitment to additional responsibilities underscores a strong sense of teamwork and dedication to the mission's objectives and success.”
Berrien reached out and lent a hand to the 62nd Medical Brig. and, with the help of her NCOs on ground, leapt into action as a truck commander to help move vehicles, allowing other personnel to take a much needed break.
“We weren’t supposed to be TC’s, but they didn’t have enough drivers or TC’s,” said Berrien. “I asked how we could help, and they told us. My NCOs and I grabbed our gear and began to help.”
That day, she took on a new role and continued to push past herself to change the situation.
“Knowing Berrien, her stepping up was inevitable. It’s in her blood,” said Conway. “She is bound to continue being something more than what she is today.”
Berrien is no longer that person caught up with her past. She is a Soldier built on her own efforts, and now, as one of the few transportation management coordinators within her shop, she thrives. Whether through her consistent efforts or tackling challenges set in front of her, Berrien continues to rewrite her life’s story.
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