Originally from Bloomington, Indiana, Sergeant Major Kitashima enlisted in the Marine Corps in May 1996. Following initial training, she was assigned the military occupational specialty of 5811 and reported to Military Police School in Fort McClellan, Alabama.
Sergeant Major Kitashima has served as a Military Police Officer at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar; two tours as a Marine Combat Instructor at School of Infantry East and School of Infantry West; Operations Chief for Combat Logistics Battalion 22, First Sergeant for Combat Service Support Company, Headquarters and Service Company, Basic Officer Course 4-13 (Company D), and Warfighting Instructor Company at The Basic School. As a sergeant major, she has served as the command senior enlisted leader for Marine Air Control Squadron 4, 5th Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, concurrently for 2D Marine Expeditionary Brigade and II Marine Expeditionary Force Information Group, Marine Corps Installations Pacific, 2d Marine Aircraft Wing, III Marine Expeditionary Force, and currently Marine Forces Pacific.
Sergeant Major Kitashima's deployment and operational experience includes: Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, a deployment with the 22d Marine Expeditionary Unit, and Operation Unified Response-Haiti. She possesses an Associate of Science Degree and her personal awards include the Legion of Merit with one gold star in lieu of second award, Meritorious Service Medal with four gold stars in lieu of fifth award, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with two gold stars in lieu of third award, and the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal with two gold stars in lieu of third award.