Navy Medicine East (NME) announced its annual Regional Sailor of the Year at a ceremony held Dec. 6.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Karla Quintero, from Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit Five, was selected as NME’s 2018 Regional Sailor of the Year by a panel of senior enlisted leaders, chaired by NME Command Master Chief Michael Hinkle.
“These Sailors exemplify the best of the United States Navy,” said Hinkle. “There’s a lot of work behind the scenes that goes into nominating these Sailors, and this selection process is extremely competitive. These Sailors model consistent professionalism and maturity, and through the support of their leadership, they are all on a path to success.”
The top nine Sailors nominated from NME’s 21 commands competed this year. They spent approximately one week in Portsmouth, Virginia, to participate in the Sailor of the Year selection boards and history and heritage events in the Hampton Roads area, which are aimed at enhancing their cultural understanding of the Navy.
The nominations are based on each Sailor’s responsibilities, job performance, leadership, collateral duties, and community involvement.
“Each of the nominees inspire me,” said Rear Adm. Anne Swap, commander, NME. “These Sailors represent the highest caliber of Navy Medicine East’s personnel, and they represent the future of Navy Medicine.”
Quintero will continue to the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery’s Sailor of the Year competition.
“I am incredibly humbled and honored to be selected as Navy Medicine East’s Sailor of the Year,” said Quintero. “To be selected among many talented Sailors throughout the largest region in Navy Medicine is unexplainable. I believe in my heart that we will all continue to be successful no matter where we go from here.
“I am full of many emotions, from excited to nervous to thankful and grateful for this once in a lifetime opportunity that only a few get the opportunity to experience. As I embrace my many emotions, I believe that every experience throughout my career gives me the ability to shape my character and leadership. As I prepare to compete at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery level, I look forward to the experience and the chance to grow as a leader.”
NME is one of only two regional commands with oversight of Navy Medicine's delivery of care to the Navy and Marine Corps family. It oversees the delivery of medical, dental and other health care services to approximately one million patients across almost 100 facilities-including the Tidewater Military Health System which brings together McDonald Army Health Center, Naval Medical Center Portsmouth and U.S. Air Force Hospital Langley. Plus, its public health activities extend globally. For more information, visit www.med.navy.mil/sites/nme.