Yessica Benitez was born in El Salvador, and raised in Louisiana. She enlisted in the Army in 2017, making her the first member of her family to ever serve in the U.S. military. “It was a chance to explore other career opportunities and to do something significant,” says Yessica. She attended Basic Training in Fort Leonard Wood, MO, and eventually served as an E-4. “The military was an experience,” says Yessica. “I enjoyed boot camp and training. Initially, I was terrified. Nobody in my family had served previously and I didn’t know who to ask about it. However, as the initial fear faded, I learned to enjoy my time and learn as much as I could.”
In active service, she picked up quite a few life lessons. “I learned how truly important the small things are, and how important it is to have a good foundation and team with you,” she says.
After her six years of military service, Yessica explored a career in construction. “My dad works in this field and he always said it would be an opportunity for me. At first, I was against it. But after I interviewed with Performance, my perspective changed.” Today, Yessica works as a Recruiter in Performance’s Human Resources Department and has been with the company for nearly a year.
She says she’s been able to apply many lessons learned in the military to her work at Performance Contractors including morality, ethics, honor, and courage.
“I’ve never worked for another company as dedicated to the inclusion of service members as Performance Contractors,” she says. “I have actively seen how this company tries to help those transition into a life outside of the service by giving them opportunities.”
Today, Yessica lives in Baton Rouge, LA. During her spare time, she enjoys learning new things, reading, and spending time with family and friends.
