NORFOLK, Va. (April 12, 2021) – Each day, an hour before people begin streaming through the community vaccination center for their scheduled COVID-19 vaccination appointment, the room is filled with Hampton Roads area Sailors preparing to march into a different kind of battle.
In formation -- and spaced 6 feet apart for proper social distancing -- the 122 Sailors from Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and Maritime Expeditionary Security Squadron 4 prepare to move into their daily life-saving routine by reciting the Sailor’s Creed.
They are all deployed locally to the Military Circle Mall Community Vaccination Center where they assist in providing approximately 3,000 vaccinations a day at the state-run, federally supported vaccination center.
Written by a Blue Ribbon Recruit Training Panel in 1993, the Sailor's Creed is a code of ethics specific to all Navy members, focuses on self-respect, respect to others and the core values of honor, courage and commitment. Like the pledge of allegiance, it reminds all Sailors of whom they are and why they serve.
Cmdr. Greg Leveque, MSRON 4 executive officer and officer in charge of the military support to the vaccination center, said he incorporated the Sailor’s Creed into the team’s morning routine after seeing the practice done at previous commands.
“At different points in time in my career I’ve been to different training commands, and some of the units I’ve seen that operate at a higher level consistently started their day with the Sailor’s Creed,” Leveque said. “There’s a sense of pride and professionalism in what we do as members of the military and members of the Navy, so one of the things I wanted to incorporate here was that same since of pride and professionalism in our uniformed service.”
A different Sailor is chosen every day to lead the group in the Navy Creed. Leveque said after Sailors lead the team, they also introduce themselves and talk about where they’re from and a little bit about themselves.
“It’s an opportunity for us to get to know each other as a team,” Leveque said.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Juliana Pawson, a hospital corpsman stationed at Naval Medical Center Portsmouth who is locally deployed to support the vaccination center, said reciting the Sailor’s Creed as a unit helps her reflect on the things that the unit represents each day and shows the members that they are part of a bigger picture.
“I feel it’s a good practice because it helps remind us of our purpose, why we’re there and what we’re doing and that we’re a part of something bigger than ourselves,” Pawson said. “It helps to fill us with some pride.”
It’s that frame of mind Leveque said he was hoping to instill before the team begins providing vaccines to thousands of people each day.
“To me there’s no better way to start the day off on the right foot than to start the day off with the Sailor’s Creed,” he said.
Pawson, who normally works in the pediatrics department, said leading the Sailor’s Creed also gave her a chance to meet new people from different departments of the hospital and provided an energizing start to the day. Reciting the Sailor’s Creed was also a daily practice at other commands where Pawson was stationed, and she said it helps to keep her motivated.
“It reminds me the reason why I joined the Navy,” she said. “It reminds me of that spark that I had when I first joined.”
Sailors from across Hampton Roads are supporting Department of Defense federal vaccine response efforts in vaccination sites in New York, Boston and Norfolk. U.S. North Command, through U.S. Army North, remains committed to providing continued, flexible Department of Defense support to the Federal Emergency Management Agency as part of the whole-of-government response to COVID-19.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.21.2021 18:15 |
| Story ID: | 393638 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 44 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Navy Team Starts Daily Life-Saving Routine With Sailor’s Creed, by Paul Noel, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
