A Mother’s Day Story: EM3 Esly Marinlanda

DELMARVA – “Right now she doesn’t understand why I’m gone for so long sometimes but in the future she’ll see. One day she’ll make sacrifices like that as well,” Marinlanda said.

Esly Marinlanda was born in Mexico and raised in Lincoln, Delaware. She’s following in the footsteps on her father and brother as an electrician mate for the United States Navy.

Yet, the title she’s most proud of is mom to her 4-year-old daughter Carla. “What’s so funny is that she was born the day after my birthday. She wanted her own little birthday,” Marinlanda said.

Marinlanda tells us she had doubts about joining the military but credits her mother for giving her the strength to follow her dreams.

She’s currently on deployment in the Atlantic Ocean, thousands of miles away from Carla. “I even have a picture of her up in my rack. It’s a reminder that what I’m doing is going to be worth it in the end for sure,” Marinlanda said.

She serves aboard the USS Gerald R. Ford which is considered the largest city at sea and the top aircraft carrier in the world. It’s where she found a sense of comfort amongst other crew members. “It’s like a little community and we definitely talk about each other’s kids, post pictures of them, and remind each other that we’re going to the through it together,” Marlinlanda said.

She describes herself as a mama bear who’s willing to do anything to protect her cub.  She’s doing so with the help of a supportive family while remaining steadfast. “I’m trying to set the example that the possibilities are endless. I’m the example that it’s possible to be a mom as well as a sailor,” Marlinlanda said.

She tells 47ABC her role as an EM3 isn’t easy work as it involves lots of troubleshooting and working with electromagnetic technology. Nonetheless, she says that work is still not match for what it means to be a mom.

Marinlanda also wants to encourage women with children who have aspirations of going into the military to do it and not sell themselves short. She hopes her story inspires others to dream big.