Candice E. Ganser
U.S. Navy 1997 – 2023
A native of Apalachin, New York, Candice enlisted in the Navy in August 1997. She completed bootcamp at Recruit Training Command, Great Lakes, Illinois, then attended Seaman “A” School.
In November 1997, she reported onboard USS CAMDEN (AOE-2), homeported in Bremerton, Washington. She served as the Deck Department yeoman until May 2000 then transferred to Naval Station Bremerton where she was advanced to Yeoman Third Class (YN3). While stationed onboard USS MOUNT WHITNEY (LCC-20), she was attached to Commander, Second Fleet as the yeoman for the Chief of Staff and as assistant to the Protocol Officer. Her hard work and dedication were rewarded when she qualified as Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS).
Candice served at various shore stations including Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Fallon, Nevada, where she was advanced to Yeoman Second Class (YN2). In February 2004, she was selected by Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, to serve as Flag Writer to Admiral Gary Roughead. While there, she was selected for and attended Flag Writer “C” School. In 2007, she transferred to Commander, Navy Exchange Service Command, Virginia Beach, Virginia, to be Flag Writer to Rear Admiral Robert J. Bianchi. In August 2007, YN2(SW) Ganser received an honorable discharge. In December she enlisted in the Navy Reserves.
Her first duty station as a reservist was Navy Operation Support Command (NOSC) Milwaukee and Operation Support Unit 1355, where she served as the Administrative Chief and Senior Enlisted Leader. In August 2014, she was selected to be Flag Writer for Vice Admiral Robin Braun. Seven months later she reenlisted into the active-duty component and served as Chief of Navy Reserve Flag Writer. Her next duty station was U.S. Fleet Forces Command where she worked for the Fleet Maintenance Officer. In March 2021 she accepted her final set of orders as Flag Writer to Rear Admiral Avin Holsey, Commander, Navy Personnel Command and Deputy Chief of Naval Personnel.
YNC(SW) Ganser retired on March 31, 2023. For her service to our Nation, she earned the following awards: five Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals, six Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, National Defense Service Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon, seven Good Conduct Medals, and Enlisted Service Warfare Specialist breast insignia.
Candice currently resides with her family in Atoka, Tennessee, where she works for the Town of Atoka. She was nominated for Veteran of the Month by Atoka Mayor Barry Akin.
