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GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Seaman Hector Murrieta graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) April 4, 2024.
Murrieta, from San Diego, California, said he enlisted for a variety of reasons, including his family’s heritage.
“A big reason I decided to join the Navy was to honor my late brother, Ernesto,” said Murrieta. “Being in the military was something he always wanted to do, and accomplishing this life dream of his is something I’m proud of. My wife, Wendy Murrieta, is also an officer in the United States Marine Corps. The tradition of the military is something we enjoy and want to continue in our family.”
Murrieta, 34, graduated from Herbert Hoover High School, where he was a member of the varsity soccer team and the school’s marching band. After high school, he attended San Diego State University and has been employed full time as an electrical worker for IBEW Local 569, undertaking various military construction projects on Naval Amphibious Base Coronado and Camp Pendleton, among others.
The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award places him at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Murrieta is awarded a flag letter of commendation as part of his recognition.
Murrieta said the award is confirmation that he made the right decision to begin a career in the Navy.
“When I won the award, I immediately thought of why I decided to join the Navy in the first place,” he said. “I know I’m making my brother and my family proud. The award is also proof that if you work hard, do the right things, learn as much as you can, and work as a team, you will create great opportunities for everyone involved.”
Murrieta’s RDCs are Chief Master-at-Arms (MMC) Drew Fuerneisen, Yeoman 1st Class (YN1) Emmanuel Cabrera, and Machinery Repairman 1st Class (MR1) Johnathon Smith and they guided him through the 10-week process.
“I know this sounds cliché, but I really do consider myself lucky to have the RDCs that I did,” said Murietta. “They all were some of the best RDCs on the entire base. Chief Fuerneisen, my first RDC, was a huge motivation to me personally, and he always inspired me to do my best. I tried to model myself after him, the way he carries himself and all the things he’s accomplished in such a short amount of time. He was always willing to take the time to teach recruits the right way to do things, and even some of the other RDCs as well.”
Additionally, Murietta said his family and others in his division helped push him to success.
“My number one supporter was without a doubt my wife Wendy,” said Murietta. “During week three, I was really feeling down and wanted to quit, and she was always picking me up. She would write to me and send pictures of our family, and it gave me the motivation to continue pushing forward and remind me to concentrate on doing my best. I also couldn’t have done it without my shipmates. They were amazing throughout this entire process. They helped me in so many ways and made this boot camp experience something I will never forget.”
Murietta said his biggest challenge during boot camp were some of the lessons he had to learn.
“In boot camp, the individual doesn’t matter,” said Murietta said. “If one person does something wrong, you all do something wrong, and you have to deal with the consequences together. In the Navy, you have to come together as one and work as a team. Though some of the lessons were difficult, I tried my best to focus on encouraging people rather than getting upset. That way the mistakes we made became learning experiences and opportunities to grow.”
After graduation, Murietta will attend Master-at-Arms “A” School at Naval Technical Training Center Lackland in San Antonio, Texas. Here he will learn antiterrorism techniques, armed sentry/post standing duties, crime prevention, military and civil law, communications, firearms deployment, and physical restraint techniques.
Training at RTC is approximately 10 weeks, and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. More than 40,000 Recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 04.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 04.05.2024 11:02 |
| Story ID: | 467891 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, IL, US |
| Hometown: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 50 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Murrieta Earns Military Excellence Award at Recruit Training Command, by Marc Lindsay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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