Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi recently announced its 2019 Sailors of the Year.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Robert Lozano, Senior Sailor of the Year; Navy Counselor 2nd Class David Butler, Sailor of the Year; Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kyle Yarbrough, Junior Sailor of the Year; and Hospitalman Rene Valenzuela, Blue Jacket of the Year were selected from a field of highly competitive candidates.
This year, 16 Sailors were nominated for the titles of Blue Jacket, Junior Sailor, Sailor and Senior Sailor of the Year based on their professional knowledge, military bearing, leadership and commitment to excellence.
NHC Corpus Christi Commanding Officer, Capt. Eric Evans made the announcement in a written message to the command.
“Please join me in congratulating our 2019 Sailors of the Year,” Evans said. “Just being nominated demonstrates these Sailor’s hard work, dedication, and appreciation of their chain of command. Keep up the good work!”
HM1 Robert Lozano, the Senior Sailor of the Year serves as the leading petty officer for NHC Corpus Christi’s San Antonio Detachment, and is assigned to the detachment’s Patient Administration Department.
A native of El Paso, Texas, Lozano says he enjoys helping other Sailors become successful in their careers, and credits his chain of command for supporting him to become the Senior Sailor of the Year.
“My chain has been very supportive in helping me develop as a leader and allowing me to develop our Sailors,” Lozano said. “They have allowed me to take the reins in guiding our Sailors and to develop a training plan that will support their growth.”
NC2 David Butler, the Sailor of the Year, hails from Munford, Tennessee and serves as the Command Career Counselor at NHC Corpus Christi, where he says helping Sailors achieve their goals is the most rewarding part of his job.
“I get to know Sailors as individuals. I learn what their personal and professional goals are, and eventually, I see them reach their goals which is a great feeling,” Butler said. “When I retire from the Navy, I want Sailors to say that I cared about every Sailor in my command and to say that I lead my Sailors with conviction.”
HM3 Kyle Yarbrough, the Junior Sailor of the Year, is a native of Zion, Illinois, and serves as a general duty corpsman in NHC Corpus Christi’s Medical Home Port, as well as the Individual Medical Readiness program manager for the Texas area of responsibility.
Yarbrough enlisted in the Navy in 2014 and says he appreciates the diversity that military service offers and enjoys being able to work with people from all backgrounds.
When asked what advice he has for his shipmates who want to be the next Junior Sailor of the Year, Yarbrough’s answer is simple: “Do everything in your power to become great.”
The 2019 Blue Jacket of the Year, HN Rene Valenzuela, hails from El Paso, Texas and joined the Navy in 2016.
Valenzuela is assigned to NHC Corpus Christi’s Clinical Support Services directorate, where he serves as a laboratory medical technician.
Valenzuela says he looks forward to furthering his career in the Navy through getting promoted and earning a college degree.
Asked what advice he would give other Sailors looking to get ahead in the Navy, Valenzuela recommends humility and hard work.
“Stay humble and strive for the best,” Valenzuela said. “A little bit of hard work can go a long way, and no matter your background, you can achieve greatness if you choose to.”
All of the winners and candidates in this year’s Sailor of the Year competition embrace the Navy’s core values of Honor, Courage and Commitment.
Lozano’s nomination package will now be considered for Navy Medicine East Sailor of the Year.
The Sailor of the Year program was established in 1972 by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet to recognize an individual Sailor who best represented the ever-growing group of dedicated professional Sailors at each command and ultimately the Navy.
When the program began, only the Atlantic and Pacific Fleet Sailors were recognized. Within ten years, the Sailor of the Year program was expanded to include shore establishments and Navy Reserve Sailors.
Each year, every Navy ship, station and command around the world chooses its Sailor of the Year based on leadership, professionalism dedication, and superior performance.
These selectees compete against recipients from other commands, eventually competing at higher echelons until the Navy's four finest are chosen - only one is selected as the Navy Shore Sailor of the Year.
Naval Health Clinic Corpus Christi and its Naval Branch Health Clinics located in Kingsville and Fort Worth provide ambulatory care services to more than 13,000 enrolled patients comprised of military active duty, their family members, retirees and their family members in South Texas and Dallas/Fort Worth. In addition, the command's San Antonio Detachment provides primary care services to our Navy students at the Medical Education and Training Campus, Fort Sam Houston, and case management services and medical board management to our Navy and Marine Corps Wounded, Ill and Injured Warriors at San Antonio Military Medical Center.
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2019 16:54 |
| Story ID: | 350999 |
| Location: | CORPUS CHRISTI, TX, US |
| Web Views: | 72 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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