Photo By Marcelo Calero | At the U.S. Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA), Class 256, Senior Chief Hospital...... read more read more
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At the U.S. Navy’s Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA), Class 256, Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Jemiko Price, was presented with the Chief McKenna Excellence in Written and Oral Communications Awards, Nov. 18. Price, who is Navy Medicine Readiness Training Unit (NMRTU) Point Loma’s senior enlisted leader, was one of nine finalists who demonstrated superb leadership and communication skills.
McKenna, widely known for his historical novel, The San Pebbles, grew up during the Great Depression and relied upon his imagination to write stories and poems that were formative in his ability to survive the Great Depression and enabled him to flourish throughout his Naval career and beyond. The Chief McKenna Excellence in Written and Oral Communications Awards are presented to someone who has a clear understanding of the relationship between leadership and our nation’s heritage while serving as an inspiration to future enlisted leaders.
"The awards were based on the naval heritage paper I wrote as part of the course requirements," said Price. "In my paper titled "How Insufficient Training Caused Mutiny," I wrote about the Port Chicago Naval Magazine explosion (July 1944), in which 320 men were killed instantly and 50 men were convicted of mutinous conduct.”
Port Chicago, not to be confused with the City of Chicago, Ill., is a town in Contra Costa County, Calif., on the southern banks of Suisun Bay.
The explosion claimed a disproportionate number of African American Sailors’ lives. Subsequently, service members refused to handle any more munitions until safety conditions improved. In sum, fifty men, referred to as the "Port Chicago 50," were convicted of mutiny and sentenced to prison.
"The opportunity to write and present a brief on this tragedy to a room full of senior enlisted leaders was monumental for me," added Price. "It is important for us as senior enlisted leaders to understand the history of this tragedy, which sparked controversy and was a driving force in the postwar civil rights movement.”
Practice Makes Perfect
It is a widely known sentiment that public speaking is a major fear for many.
"Receiving this award for excellence in oral communication is a significant achievement for me because, in addition to impromptu speaking, I was required to deliver a nine-minute brief on stage to a room full of people," said Price. "This may not be a big deal for some, especially senior enlisted leaders, because we should be used to speaking in front of people all the time.”
Yet for Price, she is the first to tell you that her fears of public speaking are well-founded.
"When I have to speak or give a presentation in front of a group of people, I get extremely anxious. Throughout the SEA class, I spent countless hours in front of the mirror practicing my brief, not only to memorize it but also to work out my social anxieties. So, for someone who experiences stage fright, being able to win this award demonstrates that all of my hard work in preparation paid off," explained Price.
"I am grateful to Class 256, SEA leadership, and Naval Medical Center San Diego for this opportunity, as a win for any of us is a win for all of us," added Price.
In 2019, U.S. Representative Mark DeSaulnier (CA-11) sponsored a resolution that officially cleared the "Port Chicago 50," who were court-martialed by the Navy.
Naval Medical Center San Diego's mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high quality healthcare services and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research. NMCSD employs more than 6,000 active duty military personnel, civilians and contractors in Southern California to provide patients with world-class care anytime, anywhere.
| Date Taken: | 11.29.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 11.29.2022 18:46 |
| Story ID: | 434167 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 267 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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