U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa is Laying the Keel and Developing Enlisted Leaders

Story by Isaac Savitz

U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa

Okinawa, Japan U.S. Naval Hospital Okinawa (USNHO) on Camp Foster held an event today that is much a celebration as it is steeped in tradition and legacy. Sailor 365 has been around since 2011. It is primarily seen as a program to help 1st Class Petty Officers advance to the rank of Chief Petty Officer or “Chief” as they are reverently referred. Today, Sailor 360 is a similar program that starts before a Sailor even reaches boot camp. The idea is that from the recruitment stage, the design of training a future Navy leader starts and continues throughout their career. Laying the keel, in the early days of shipbuilding, was the very beginning or placement of the central timber that would make up the vessel’s backbone. Sailor 360 is developing the backbone of our Navy!

A team of Sailors helped bring the event together, consisting of a cookout, karaoke, basketball tournament, and other games that will result in a trophy to be coveted by the Directorate, who is declared the winner. Petty Officers 1st Class Benjunne Sandoval and Amos Asare took a moment to speak about the event and its importance in developing the future leaders of the Navy. PO1 Asare talked about command-based training that would be consistently available to all the Sailors here at USNHO to help build that strong structure needed for a long, successful career in the Navy. Sandoval reiterated the importance of “building from the bottom up,” not just waiting until a Sailor is approaching Chief but from the very beginning when that central timber is first laid. The legacy of the Chief just celebrated a birthday, and you can feel the energy from these two emerging leaders who are so passionate about developing their replacements.

The Triad from USHNO showed up and expressed their gratitude for this great program and those who organized it. Capt. Kathleen Cooperman, the Commanding Officer for USNHO, spoke to the Sailors who gathered around and explained to them how crucially important each one of them is to the success of the hospital and, ultimately, the operational success of the Navy and Marines. Cooperman talked about career development, camaraderie, and occupational proficiency, among various tools used in a successful tour. She said, “I want each of you to take back home with you more technical knowledge through training, rank, a little more money, and great experience.” Command Senior Chief Joshua Ash, acting Command Master Chief, spoke briefly to the Sailors and explained the importance of networking and getting to know each other. Ash said, “I don’t want to see the same people who are always hanging out eating together or on the same teams.” He explained that when you sit down and break bread with someone, you get to know them better. He said, “Eat with NC1, and next time you go ask to change your rate, it will be a little harder for her to say no!” CMDCS Ash explained that getting to know each other is essential and is more conducive to getting the job done. Any Chief will tell you, “You can’t know everything, but you need to know where to find it.” Those connections you form now will be your network for the rest of your career. The Chiefs know each other and are there to support their brothers and sisters every chance they get.

The U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Okinawa (USNMRTCO) supports the Defense Health Agency’s U.S. Naval Hospital, Okinawa (USNHO) as the largest OCONUS Navy Medicine medical treatment facility and stands ready to respond to contingency operations to support the INDOPACOM region. It is a critical regional asset for direct care delivery, regional referrals, and medical contingency operations. The staff of USNHO understands their vital role as pre-positioned, forward-deployed naval forces within the first island chain, aligned and in support of the joint military commands and operations.