Navy veteran finds new mission while serving at Loma Linda University Health

Throughout her nine years of service in the U.S. Navy, Dennise Araya lived her commitment to the Navy's mission of protecting our freedoms and keeping America safe. After leaving the Navy in 2017 and earning her bachelor's degree, she found a new mission at Loma Linda University Health, where she serves as an administrative secretary at Loma Linda University Medical Center, Murrieta. Dennise is currently one of 298 LLUH employees who are veterans of military service.

Born in San Diego and raised in Mexico, Dennise returned to the United States for high school. While she was balancing school and work, Dennise was determined to create a better life for herself and her five-year-old child. Her father had served in the Navy for 12 years, and that example prompted Dennise to enlist in the Navy herself in June 2008.

Dennise told her recruiter she wanted to go into law and hoped to begin that journey as a Navy paralegal. Unfortunately, there were no openings in that service area. After reviewing some options, Dennise chose to join the aviation ordnance weapons department.

Following boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois, Dennise's first assignment brought her back to San Diego, where she was stationed aboard the aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan for the next five years. After serving one year as an administrative assistant, she began working on the flight deck. Dennise performed a wide range of assignments, from driving forklifts, loading missiles on helicopters, and learning to assemble missiles. Her outstanding service was soon recognized with a promotion to a supervisors role in quality assurance within the weapons department.

"I was planning to transfer to the legal area I wanted eventually," Dennise said. "But I found I performed well and chose to stay in that area."

Dennise's time on the ship included three deployments. Her final deployment in 2011 lasted eight months and included one of the most memorable experiences of Dennise's naval career. Part of that mission included being routed to the area off Japan to participate in Operation Tomodachi, the U.S. military's significant relief effort following the 2011 Fukushima earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant disaster.

Following her service on the Ronald Reagan, Dennise transitioned to the helicopter squadron training command, still in San Diego. She served there for four years, until it was time to decide whether to reenlist.

"After nine years of service, I chose to transition out of the military in 2017 to prioritize my growing family and focus on being more present at home," Dennise said.

After earning her Bachelor's in Business Administration from California State University, San Marcos in 2021, Dennise saw a job posting for the administrative assistant position. While she was not thinking about that type of job, Dennise has had several positive experiences at LLUMC Murrieta since moving to the area in 2011. She had several treatments at the Emergency Department and gave birth to her youngest child here, and these experiences made her interested in joining the employee team.

Dennise believes that her military service experiences taught her many qualities that transfer well to her role at Murrieta.

"In the military, you learn to have the courage to do the right thing even when no one is watching," she said. "Because things change rapidly in the military, you quickly adapt to different situations and learn critical thinking."

Today, Dennise lives a different mission by being part of Loma Linda's work to share the teaching and healing ministry of Jesus Christ. While not in a frontline patient care role, Dennise knows that her work supporting those on the front lines allows her to contribute to LLUH's mission.

"There's a sense of fulfillment in carrying on the mission," Dennise said. "I also appreciate that the organization cares not only for your professional life, but also your spiritual life. The faith-based part of our work environment is one of the things that drew me to Loma Linda."

Veteran's Day 2025 offers Loma Linda University Health the opportunity to recognize the essential military contributions made by our veteran employees, like Dennise Araya. The sacrifices made by our veterans and their families are not forgotten, and we are grateful to each of them as we continue to enjoy the freedoms they supported through their service.