“TIP OF the spear” is a phrase used by the United States Military to describe being stationed at the forefront of battle where the pendulum can swing from life to death with no warning. Retired chief hospital corpsman Christianne Montoya knows this phrase well. “I was stationed aboard the USS Carl Vinson CVN 70 when the attack on 9/11 happened,” said Montoya. “We were rounding the tip of India en route to the Arabian Gulf when we changed course and headed to the North Arabian Sea. Our battle group launched the first strikes of Operation Enduring Freedom. For 72 days the battle group remained and conducted more than 4,200 combat sorties in the War on Terrorism.”
Serving as advanced biomedical engineering technicians, Montoya and her husband Bill have a joint enlistment of 40 years in the Navy. “Why did I choose biomedical engineering?” Montoya asked, jokingly. “Because someone told me that I couldn’t. It was a heavily male-dominated specialty, and I was a skinny, girly sailor in my first enlistment. Looking back, I see it was a rebellious response to someone drawing a line [that] I didn’t like. Good thing it was a good fit! But it prepared me to fight for things I wanted to accomplish. I was also fortunate to have unique opportunities and great leadership that taught me what a good leader should look like.
Montoya retired from serving her country in 2007 but hasn’t retired from serving the community that she’s grown to love. In 2021, she put her leadership skills into practice and became the director of Access Hope. “We are a 24/7 crisis call center staffed by volunteers,” said Montoya. “We are available 365 days a year actively serving Coffee County and nine surrounding counties free of charge. Our volunteers work really hard. [All together they have] contributed more than 21,000 hours and served 4,099 [suffering] people in 2021. The need is increasing and call volume is nearly 40% greater than this time last year. We always answer the phone in person. It’s something I’m proud to be able to say when asked what makes Access Hope different.”
With the increasing need for mental health in our communities, Access Hope is actively recruiting volunteers who are willing to lend an ear. “I could have been the final straw, and this young man could have been lost forever,” said Montoya, of a recent caller. “We need more people to answer phones especially during the day and early evening hours. No experience is needed. If you’re a people person, I also need help with outreach events and fundraising.”
When a Naval ship stands strong in the line of battle, it’s referred to as the “Ship of the Line.” Together Montoya and Access Hope are the “Ship of the Line” on the “Tip of the Spear” for better mental health in Coffee County. GN
