Cary native serving at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay advances in rank

Courtesy Story

U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Guantanamo Bay

Courtesy story by Ashley Craig, Navy Office of Community Outreach

MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 3rd Class Brendan Szafranski, a native of Cary, Illinois, recently advanced in rank while serving aboard U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (USNMRTC) Guantanamo Bay at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Szafranski is a 2022 graduate of Cary Grove High School.

“I was recently promoted to hospital corpsman third class, and in the grand scheme of everything, it isn’t a big leap, but it is for me,” Szafranski said. “From what I know and what my parents know, it was the same rank my grandfather was before he left the Navy; he was an aircraft ordnanceman third class. It is very sentimental to me to be on the same level as him, and it motivates me to push myself further and maybe one day supersede him. Though I just got promoted, I am ready for the responsibility of my new role and what awaits me back in Portsmouth.”

Szafranski, who was temporarily assigned to support U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay, will return to his command at NMRTC Portsmouth, Virginia, to continue his naval career.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Cary.

“When I was young, back in Illinois, I helped my dad with all sorts of house maintenance and cleaning,” Szafranski said. “When he showed me how to do these things, he always emphasized doing it the right way. In his words, ‘You can do things the fast way, or you can do things the right way.’ These words stuck with me throughout the years and remind me that the quality of my work matters more than how fast I can get it done.”

Szafranski joined the Navy three years ago. Today, Szafranski serves as a hospital corpsman and laboratory technician at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay.

“At the end of my high school years, I didn’t know what I was going to do after,” Szafranski said. “Whether it be college, trade school, or going straight into the workforce. At the time, I didn’t feel like I had a sense of purpose. It was a dark time for me mentally. During a job fair at my high school, I met my recruiter. Over multiple days of back and forth, I made the choice to join the Navy to become a hospital corpsman, to have that sense of purpose and help people around the world.”

NMRTC focuses on three critical mission priorities: warfighter readiness, medical force generation and supporting the delivery of high-quality health care at U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay.

U.S. Naval Hospital Guantanamo Bay provides health care to the U.S. Naval Station Guantanamo Bay community, which consists of approximately 4,500 military members, federal employees, U.S. and foreign national contractors and their families. The hospital also operates the only overseas military home health care facility providing care to elderly special category residents who sought asylum on the installation during the Cuban Revolution.

The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.

According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”

With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.

Szafranski has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy so far is obtaining my Medical Laboratory Technician Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology,” Szafranski said. “Though I didn’t have confidence in myself that I would pass that test, my instructors had full confidence in me that I would.”

Szafranski serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.

“Serving in the Navy means a lot to me,” Szafranski said. “It allows me to use my time and abilities that I have learned to help people, whether that be in the United States or across the world.”

Szafranski is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I would like to thank my parents for their love and support throughout my time in the Navy,” Szafranski added. “I would also like to thank my grandfather, Norbert Szafranski. Though my time with you was short, your compassion and heart are still with me to this day. I wouldn’t have considered the Navy if it wasn’t for your service.”