Eyewitness News Salutes: Ensign Shanon Lavin of Lisle

LISLE, Ill. (WLS) -- ABC 7 EyeWitness News Salutes a Navy sailor who is serving our country aboard the USS Fort McHenry. Ensign Shanon Lavin of Lisle is at an 8-week school to learn about her new job as a division officer on the ship. Lavin is a graduate of Naperville North High School and the United States Naval Academy.

Her first goal is to become a qualified Surface Warfare Officer by the end of her first deployment, but she also has an eye on the intelligence community.

"Ultimately, I would like to make use of my linguistic background in Mandarin and eastern cultural understanding from being Asian-American to provide my services as a part of the Naval Intelligence community," she said.

Lavin says her favorite Navy experience so far has been starting the Naval Academy Dance Team. During her time in the Navy, she has also volunteered, along with her shipmates, for Habitat for Humanity and Mt. Washington Pediatric Hospital.

Through it all, she thanks her family.

"If it wasn't for the unconditional love and support...from my family and friends, I would not have gotten this far," she said.

Given that, ABC 7 EyeWitness News Salutes Ensign Lavin for serving the country.