Taking on the challenge to help others and owning new experiences
Imagine you’re driving a winding back road. You see a car speeding from the opposite direction fly off the thoroughfare and crash head on into a tree. What do you do?
For Booz Allen’s Eric Cruciotti, a systems analyst from Millington, Tennessee, there was only one answer: Make a split-second decision to pull over and help keep a stranger alive.
“I didn’t think; I just reacted,” says Eric. “I pried the driver’s door open. I have no medical background, so I called 911 and waited with the woman and tried to keep her calm. I will help anyone that needs it. I was raised very modestly, and without the ability to help others financially, I learned that I could offer other forms of help to those in need.”
Eric understands firsthand how accidents can change a person’s course.
When a hiking accident caused a spinal injury that ended Eric’s career in archaeology, he set out to pursue a different path. As an archaeologist, a career he spent 8 years training for in school, Eric spent half of his time writing reports about his findings in the field—like detailing the time he found an ancient Native American grave site. He knew his writing skills were transferrable and applied for a job at Booz Allen as a technical writer.
Nearly 7 years later, Eric’s skills and roles have evolved yet again; this time, by his own direction. Today, he provides back-end support to for the iNavy portal, a tool that helps the Navy’s civilian employees automate standard operating procedures and reporting—increasing operational efficiency and providing real-time data to help Navy leaders make critical decisions.
"When I was injured, I looked for a company that presented a range of opportunities. I’ve found that at Booz Allen, says Eric. “As a new technical writer, my team members trained and mentored me to start in a new role. When I became interested in SharePoint, my mentors and the firm’s learning resources helped me get my foot in the door and take ownership of a new experience.”
