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U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Marlon Riefer, a Temecula, California native, is stationed aboard U.S 7th Fleet Flagship USS Blue Ridge (LCC 19) 20 years after his father, Chief Ship’s Serviceman retired, Martin Riefer, and is now following in his footsteps.
Despite serving in a different rate than his father, they’ve had similar experiences and share the same mindset.
“We both like helping people and showing appreciation to those who work hard,” said Riefer. “My father shows kindness and the utmost respect to everyone he encounters and I feel like I received most of my characteristics from him.”
Riefer says it has been a blessing to have a mentor and role model who has gone through similar experiences to help guide him through his naval career. Riefer and his father feel a sense of pride and excitement having served on the same ship.
“He taught me everything I know and is still teaching me what I can do to better my Navy career,” said Riefer. “My dad's my best friend, everything I earn and achieve is because of him.”
Riefer joined the military to become a better person and to not only learn from his father, but go beyond what his father achieved.
“I joined the military to provide for my wife and family, also to better myself as a person and as a man,” said Riefer. “Ultimately, I joined to achieve more than what my father achieved, to show him the kind of person he raised and a man he can be proud of.”
Riefer’s father received Sailor of the Year and was promoted to1st class Petty Officer while serving on Blue Ridge. Now Riefer is well on his way to achieving some of those same awards.
“I felt a great sense of pride when I got promoted to 3rd class and finally earned my chevron as well as Sailor of the Week,” said Riefer. “I immediately told my family all about it.”
“There really are no words to describe the pride I was experiencing,” said Riefer’s father, “Seeing him there and on my old ship is such an awesome feeling of pride.”
Riefers’ daily duties include taking care of our personnel during sick call or medical emergencies, administering immunizations, and conducting Periodic Health Assessments to help maintain the crew’s medical readiness.
No matter what I do with my naval career, I just want other people to look up to me like I look up to my dad,” said Riefer. “I want to lead people to a positive to live a positive life.”
Blue Ridge is the oldest operational ship in the Navy, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary since her commissioning, and as 7th Fleet command ship, is responsible for patrolling and fostering relationships within the Indo-Asia Pacific Region.
| Date Taken: | 10.26.2020 |
| Date Posted: | 10.26.2020 02:53 |
| Story ID: | 381711 |
| Location: | JP |
| Hometown: | TEMECULA, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 514 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Father and son serve aboard the same ship 20 years apart, by PO2 Sarah Eaton, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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