Photo By Chief Petty Officer William Gaskill | GREAT LAKES, Ill. (June 10, 2025) - Damage Controlman 2nd Class Bernard Jumayao, a...... read more read more
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Meet Damage Controlman Second Class (DC2) Bernard Jumayao, an instructor at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, the Navy’s only boot camp.
Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Jumayao joined the Navy six years ago, motivated by the opportunity to grow personally and professionally.
“When I was exploring my options and trying to decide what I wanted to do, I looked for something different from the usual path most people take,” Jumayao says. “Being able to travel and immerse myself in all the diverse cultures around the world was a big deal for me. I knew these experiences, along with the skills I’d gain, would help me reach the goals I set for myself. For me, it was all about pushing myself to improve and grow as much as possible.”
Before arriving at RTC, Jumayao served on USS Whidbey Island and USS Normandy. As an instructor at RTC, his primary mission is to equip recruits with essential skills to become effective firefighters in the fleet. His training covers core topics such as basic damage control, fire chemistry, and fixed firefighting systems.
Jumayao credits his success in the Navy to the mindset his parents taught him from a young age.
“The power of perseverance is something I learned during my upbringing,” he shares. “It’s not just about showing up. To succeed, you have to push yourself every single day, even when the work is hard or your morale isn’t at its best. Even though you might not be able to control everything life throws at you, you can control how you respond. Watching them and how they handled hardships growing up taught me how to face challenges and be proactive.”
Although achieving success at RTC has been meaningful for Jumayao, it hasn’t come without its share of challenges.
“In the Navy, everyone is a firefighter,” he says. “My job is to prepare recruits to be confident, effective, and mission-ready firefighters. The tough part for recruits is that they have a lot of daily demands and have to learn a lot of new things every day. Their attention is being pulled in multiple directions, which can make it hard for them to absorb new information. Luckily, I’m passionate about what I do, and I take pride in helping them focus and understand the importance of what we’re doing.”
Jumayao’s drive to shape the future of the Navy is deeply rooted in his commitment to service.
“Although being in the military isn’t always easy and involves personal sacrifice, I’m extremely grateful for all the opportunities I’ve been given,” he says. “Each hardship I’ve faced has been a chance for growth and a way to strengthen my character. From this perspective, being grateful also means giving back, and I do my best to share what I know and to be as helpful as I can to the next generation of Sailors.”
Looking ahead, Jumayao has established ambitious goals for the remainder of his naval career.
“Enrolling in school and completing my bachelor’s degree is a big goal of mine at the moment. While I can envision becoming a commissioned officer sometime down the road, I also know that everyone retires from the military at some point. Having an education to fall back on is important to me and my future.”
Jumayao continues to support the Navy’s mission, embodying the values of service and dedication to inspire future Sailors as they join the fleet.
Boot camp is approximately nine weeks and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes five warfighting competencies of firefighting, damage control, seamanship, watch standing, and small arms handling and marksmanship along with physical fitness and lessons in Navy heritage and core values, Warrior Toughness, Life Skills, teamwork, and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 06.27.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.27.2025 10:01 |
| Story ID: | 501681 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | LAS VEGAS, NEVADA, US |
| Web Views: | 34 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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