Congressman Faleomavaega is proud to announce that
Leafaina (Ina) Olive Tavai Yahn has been promoted to the rank of Major
in the United States Army. She also has been selected for resident
attendance at the Army's Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth,
Kansas. She will be attending this summer. She currently serves
as the Ordnance Corps Regimental Adjutant at the Aberdeen Proving Ground,
Maryland.
Congressman Faleomavaega said, “I am very proud of Major Yahn and
her accomplishments. She has set an excellent example for the women
of Samoa and an inspiration to our Samoan youths.”
Upon graduating from Samoana High School, Major Tavai Yahn was accepted
to the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York under a nomination
by former Congressman Fofo Sunia. She became the first Samoan to
graduate from West Point in 1989 and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant
in the US Army Ordnance Corps.
With each successive promotion, Major Tavai Yahn picks up bigger
and more challenging responsibilities. Her most recent being to command
the division's Heavy Maintenance Company (D Company, 704th Main Support
Battalion) for eighteen months. After company command, she served
as the Division Material Management Center Executive Officer for a year.
She then became the Material Readiness Officer for eighteen months which
makes her responsible for the maintenance management and combat readiness
of the entire division's ground and aviation fleets consisting of tanks,
bradleys, artillery, helicopters, wheeled vehicles, small arms, etcetera.
Major Tavai Yahn, who hails from the village of Gataivai, American
Samoa, is the daughter of the late High Chief Atiumaletavai Vaiki and Lauolive
To’omalatai. She is married to Rocky Dean Yahn of Zanesville, Ohio
who is a Chief Warrant Officer, also with the U.S. Army.
Photo: Major Leafaina (Ina) Olive Tavai Yahn (center) accepts
promotion diploma from Colonel Vincent E. Boles, Executive Officer to the
AMC Commander, GENCoburn. Others include (l-r): Aunt Masele Li Hang,
Aunt Elisa Atuatasi, mother Lauolive Tavai, Aunt Luisa Tuugaifo, and mother
in-law Julia Yahn.
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