Senior Chief Candace Esquivel joined the Navy in 2005 as a cryptologic technician with advanced training in signals exploitation systems. From there, she went to the Naval Special Warfare Development Group, where she worked as a SIGINT Geospatial Analyst. 

At Dev Gru, she was selected as an Intelligence Detachment Leading Chief Petty Officer (LCPO) for Tactical Evaluation and Development Squadron THREE, where she deployed and served as a Director of Intelligence (J2) for two rotations in the CENTCOM AOR supporting overseas contingency operations.

She then screened for and was selected for duty at the Joint Cyber Operations Group, where she was a Troop Senior Enlisted Leader before she was selected as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader to establish North Squadron, an O5 operational squadron.

In 2021, Senior Chief Esquivel was selected as a DoD Congressional Fellow for Representative Seth Moulton. While serving in the House of Representatives, she advised the Congressman on technical policy, cyber operations and talent management, and information operations across the DoD.

Senior Chief Esquivel holds a bachelor’s degree in management studies and is pursuing her master’s in management interdisciplinary studies. Currently, she is a policy analyst in the Office of Culture and Force Resilience’s Office of Women’s Policy, where she works to develop and implement policies involving Navy servicewomen in coordination with the higher authorities in the DoD, like the Secretary of the Navy, the Chief of Naval Operations, and the Chief of Naval Personnel. 

More about Candace:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/candace-esquivel-a41669270/

The Valkyrie Project: https://www.thevalkyrieproject.org/

Timestamps:

00:00:22 Introduction to Senior Chief Candace Esquivel

00:01:55 Walkthrough of Candace Esquival’s Career

00:06:01 Role as Signals Analyst and J2

00:07:36 What Type of Signals Are Analyzed?

00:08:27 How Vulnerable Are Smart Devices?

00:12:21 Protecting Yourself from Data Tracking

00:14:59 Protecting Yourself on Social Media

00:17:20 Hilarious Failed Attempts of Espionage

00:18:44 Selection Process for DEVGRU and JCOG

00:25:22 What Does it Mean to Be a Congressional Fellow?

00:28:57 Which Policies Does Candace Esquivel Push For?

00:30:54 What Does the Office of Culture and Force Resilience Do?

00:34:30 Sponsor Note: Fuelmydayfoods.com

00:35:11 Changes for Women in the DoD Communities

00:40:07 Progress in Fertility Services

00:47:29 Possible Toxins During Deployment

00:53:52 New Policies for Women

00:58:20 CFL Training 

01:01:37 Adaptable Training and Modifications for Health and Recovery

01:03:21 Best and Worst Advice Received

01:07:00 Outro