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Twentynine Palms, California
Marine Air Ground Task Force Training Command and Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center
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Albers is currently a cultural resources specialist at the Combat Center's Curation Center. She is also a fan of fashion, sports cars, and participated in the Clinton Campaign in the 90's.

Photo by Cpl. Charles Santamaria

What I've Learned: D'Anne Albers

22 Jul 2014 | Cpl. Charles Santamaria Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms

Albers is currently a cultural resources specialist at the Combat Center's Curation Center. She is also a fan of fashion, sports cars, and participated in the Clinton Campaign in the 90's.

I grew up in an oil town so there was a lot of money because of people in the oil business. I grew up going to a public high school that was fabulous. I had a fabulous education

I also went through a lot of tornados but it was a very good experience growing up there.

I have always liked to read and I have always been into cars. My dad gave me a car when I was 16. It was a red Fiat convertible and then i got an MGA convertible. After that, i got into sports car racing. I didn’t actually do the racing but I went along. I went to a lot of races.

I would say my dad is the one who got me into cars. He loved buying and selling cars. He would buy a car, fix it up, and then sell it.

I really miss it. I am no longer involved but it was very exciting.

When I was learning to drive stick shift, I was with my younger brother, and I ended up stalling the car in the middle of an intersection while making a left turn. I couldn’t get it started and my brother got so upset that he got out of the car and walked home.

I ended up attending the University of Tulsa and I worked in retail. I managed a small women’s store. My major was liberal arts. I really didn’t know what I wanted to do back then.

I got married and was moving around with my husband, so I didn’t really choose a career until I was about 26. I really loved the fashion world; it was really exciting to me. It started me on a route to good costumer service and good communication.

It really taught me that you never know, by looking at someone, who or what they are and that you should treat everyone the same.

I started working with animals once I moved to Monterey, Calif. It all started because I started volunteering. A position opened up and it kind of all went from there. I wrote some volunteer manuals and worked with wild life.

I have always had animals. I currently have three dogs and five cats and most of them are rescues. All but one, I found on my own when I was out and about.

I started working for environmental organizations. I had the opportunity to work in the Clinton Campaign and other local political campaigns. I really enjoyed it and it made me realize the political system.

I continued volunteering until about 2003. I then became the director of a program to raise money for education and scientific research for sea otters. I loved it and continued doing it for about four years.

In 2007, I got a job with Defenders of Wildlife and moved here. My job was to raise awareness of the desert tortoise. Once my contract ended, I got my job here aboard the base.

I was very excited coming into my job with Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs. It was similar but different to my other jobs. It gave me a chance to see a different side of archaeology.

We started the gardens out here, which I always enjoyed gardening. I was still able to talk to people about wildlife. I can do this for fun. To me, this job is very fun.

I was amazed coming out here. I knew nothing about the military but the Marines do so much for the preservation of the land, animals, and other treasures out here. It really educated me about the background of the military. This is a dream job.

It is amazing to think that we are walking around the same place as people did 2,000 years ago. What they did for their time, I feel, is just as advanced as the things we are doing now. I have gone to places where I can touch the wall and almost feel those people from many years ago. It is pretty amazing.

One of my biggest goals for my job out here is to show the Marines and their families that the desert is not that bad. The desert has some very unique things about it. There is so much history here and I hope they can learn to appreciate it.

If anybody has a problem getting a job, volunteering is a perfect way to get involved and to get experience. If you are in a group of people, you’ll be amazed at how much you can accomplish compared to working by yourself. Much like the Marines.

It is very important to try and do something that you love doing because, at that point, its not really a job.

Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms