Our country was surprised and proud to learn that Congress chose, for the first time, three honorable military women as aides-de-camp. One of them is Andrea Ortiz Cáceres, frigate captain of the Peruvian Navy, who has a brilliant career and was responsible for protocol at PERUMIN. Let us find out more in the following lines.

How did you develop your career in the Peruvian Navy?

I entered into the Peruvian Naval Academy in 1999. I belong to the second coed class. I applied after the law that allowed women to enter into the Army Forces was passed in 1997. I was trained in surface warfare, which is the specialty in charge of equipping and operating warships, and that is my passion because it enabled me to learn to navigate at sea, to know the rivers of Peru, to exercise leadership of people, and to learn about operations and logistics. A ship is like a small company where the commander manages all the areas of operation, including naval warfare.

Since I was in one of the first coed classes, I was the first woman to be appointed commander of a ship in 2009, and then, in 2014, the first woman to be appointed commander of a river patrol. These two opportunities made me grow as a professional and as a person. Today I hold the rank of frigate captain, and I am working as aide-de-camp of the president of Congress.

What motivated you to join the Navy?

I was motivated by the desire to serve my country and the opportunity of being one of the first women to do it was an important challenge in my life.

Was it difficult to join an institution historically associated with men?

The adaptation and transition of women’s entry into the army forces have been improving over the years. The first years were difficult, especially because it is a career that demands conviction, discipline, and physical effort.

Being a woman was never limiting. Quite the contrary. I always thought that by being a woman I had certain capacity to identify problems or solutions. I always took advantage of it, and I still do. It is our duty to leave a positive mark of the role of women in the army forces. We have been visible since we joined, and with that comes an opportunity to generate confidence and change. In the future, the women that make this choice will have a paved way, more security, and their challenges will be of a different nature.

What does your appointment as aide-de-camp of Congress mean to you?

Being an aide-de-camp is an honor for any officer because we represent our institutions in a branch of government. For me, it has a special meaning because protocol in Congress is very important and of great representativeness. I am grateful to the institution for this opportunity for professional and personal growth. Being one of the first women in this position is a great responsibility.

What is your message to those women interested in joining the military?

My message to the women who have the desire to serve their country from within the army forces is the following: Do not be afraid, follow your dreams and be brave to face the tests of your decisions. Always live your life with credibility, and, above all, do not feel that because we are women, we have to be treated differently. Going through all the tests, just like men do, made us strong and proud of wearing the uniform, and today that strength allows us to have a fruitful life because we hold positions in which we have to command personnel, set an example, and resolve difficulties, and we feel ready to do it.

What were your duties during your time at PERUMIN?

I have been in charge of protocol at the mining convention on two occasions. It was a great experience due to the importance of the event, its convening power, and, especially, due to the personalities that took part in it. All this requires careful management of protocol and ceremonial, and rules of precedence for the authorities and guests. Protocol is very important in events such as PERUMIN, as it involves details and the order of things.

Which anecdotes, memories or impressions are you taking away from the mining convention?

I have many anecdotes, all of them very enriching. I can mention the unexpected visit of a president who wanted to visit the fair, but it had already closed. We had to create an emergency route to pass through open stands. This tested the organization and reaction of the protocol team, and everything went really well.

PERUMIN is characterized by its level of organization. After the military institutions and the chancellery, comes PERUMIN, which really gives importance to protocol and detail in the organization.

Was PERUMIN the first time you worked with protocol? How did you come to work with protocol?

In the military field, protocol and ceremonial have great relevance. Thanks to the Navy, I was involved in many protocol activities, and I began to study the rules and regulations, and the legal system we have in Peru, which is really interesting. In the Navy, there are several places where we can work with protocol, and those were my first experiences.

PERUMIN 2013 was definitely like studying a master’s because, since PERUMIN is the largest fair in Latin America, attended by state, regional, and municipal authorities, as well as by many business personalities, there was a lot to do and learn.

I will always say that everybody must have some knowledge of protocol to apply it in their lives, for example, in weddings, birthday parties, welcome and farewell parties, etc. We always need a protocol order, and we cannot avoid giving the corresponding solemnity to some events in our lives. In short, “life has a protocol we need to follow.”

Was this, perhaps, a stimulus to want to work with protocol later?

I think it was a great stimulus to work in this marvelous area. It complements my career perfectly. PERUMIN is and will be one of the most important events to work with protocol, a place where state protocol meets business protocol, and it is the task of those in charge of protocol that they coexist in harmony, giving each guest the special place that corresponds to them.

What is your opinion about the Diversity and Inclusion Forum to take place at PERUMIN?

I think that it is in tune with what we are experiencing worldwide, highlighting the role of the female labor force and its successes and how they make their way in professions as important as mining and others related to it. Women have a historic chance to develop, and the sector is very important; for that reason, having spaces that enable them to give visibility to their work is of great importance. Today the way is paved thanks to all the women that, like us, have embarked in professions previously thought to be only for men.