Wearing the Uniform

As her high school career was coming to a close, Angelita was unsure of what her next chapter should be. She turned her attention to the military, and more specifically, to the Marines. “My uncle and cousin were Marines,” she says.

She enlisted upon graduation and rose to the rank of corporal, serving four years as a field radio operator. She also worked with the military police and performed various clerical and guard duties. In addition to giving her a career path and marketable skills, the Marines gave Angelita a life partner. She met her husband, Todd, at Camp Pendleton, where they were both stationed. They were married in 1991.

“Yes, my poor kids have two Marine parents,” Angelita laughs.

Angelita and Todd decided against making a career of the military. There was a good chance they were going to have to live apart for some time. Neither wanted that, so they both received honorable discharges and entered civilian life. The couple headed for the Midwest – Todd’s birthplace – and then moved to New Orleans, where he trained as a police officer. Several years later, Minnesota was their goal. Todd took a job as a state trooper. Living close to his family was a bonus for the young family.

While Todd was launching his second career, Angelita was working as a stay-at-home mom to their three children and “did a few other little things” before setting her sights on Hormel Foods. She loves it.

“The best part of working for Hormel Foods is the diversity and the variety of things available,” she says. “It’s an older company that celebrates new things. The older things ground you, but the company likes to diversify and look ahead.”