“The Navy has made me who I am today,” said Operations Specialist 1st Class Justin Chung. “The Navy has made me a successful and a confident man.”
Chung was born and raised in the Republic of Korea and later moved to Rockville, Maryland with his family. He started talking to a Navy recruiter himself during his junior year of college because of his desire to travel. In his 10 years, Chung has served aboard three ships and traveled to more than 16 countries.
“I cannot see myself without the Navy,” said Chung. “It has provided my family with a stable life and has brought us closer together.”
Chung grew up with his mother and brother in small apartments. While serving in the Navy, he got a home in Maryland and moved his family in with him.
“I want to help change people’s lives and open up opportunities for them, as it has for me,” said Chung, who is currently a recruiter at Navy Recruiting Station Elmhurst located in Queens.
“I became a recruiter to challenge myself and to be more vocal, to learn to be more assertive with people,” said Chung. “I have been a recruiter for only two years and have learned to be more of an extrovert, rather than an introvert.”
Chung attributes working the streets of New York with teaching him to be more vocal and confident. His recruiting numbers back that up. He recently wrote seven contracts in a month, was named the command’s Sailor of the Quarter, and his station is consistently recognized at all-hands award ceremonies as the best large station in the district.
Chung’s performance, positive attitude, military bearing and personal drive were all recognized in July when the commanding officer announced that he was meritoriously advancing him to a first class petty officer.
“I am a very caring and genuine person with a positive attitude, which I believe can spread positive energy to my fellow sailors,” said Chung. “These aspects made me who I am today, to be successful, and to be recognized in the Navy.”
Chung spends his downtime as a volunteer in his Queens community coaching middle school basketball through the Catholic Youth Organization and teaching local sea cadets military drills. He said he believes when the public sees Sailors helping out in the community, it projects a positive image on our military.
Recruiters work tirelessly to find, inspire and recruit the best and brightest young men and women to serve this country. Chung and his team in Queens are goal-orientated Sailors who put in the extra time and are always pushing forward. Chung said he has grown and learned how to become a leader by working with great recruiters in New York.
“I consider the Navy my second home and cannot see myself doing anything but serving my country,” said Chung.
“I was a mediocre operations specialist, but now I am an outstanding Navy recruiter,” exclaimed Chung! “I plan on making the Navy my career, leading a station and one day being the chief recruiter of a district.”
Navy Recruiting District New York covers 7,700 square miles and includes NYC’s five boroughs, Long Island and the northern half of New Jersey.
Navy Recruiting Command consists of a command headquarters, two Navy Recruiting Regions, 20 Navy Recruiting Districts and six Navy Talent Acquisition Groups that serve more than 1,000 recruiting stations across the country.
For more news from Commander, Navy Recruiting Command, go to http:// www.cnrc.navy.mil. Follow Navy Recruiting on Facebook (www.facebook.com/NavyRecruiting) and on Twitter (@USNrecruiter).