Hospital corpsman named Naval Medical Forces Pacific headquarters 2022 Sailor of the Year

A hospital corpsman at headquarters, Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP), was named the winner of the Chief Yeoman Latoya Calvin Leadership Award and NMFP Headquarters Sailor of the Year (SOY) for 2022, during an all-hands meeting and awards presentation at NMFP, Naval Base San Diego, Jan. 13.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Rebecca Clark, from Granger, Indiana, will be competing at the NMFP Region SOY in April for the top spot against all Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands (NMRTC), and Naval Medical Research Center SOY winners in the NMFP area of responsibility (AOR).

“First and foremost, it’s an honor to be selected as NMFP SOY,” said Clark. “I see myself as a direct reflection of my chain of command, NMFP’s leaders, and my junior Sailors. These Sailors work very hard every day to carry out tasks and projects that we are responsible for as a team. They strive to be the best Sailors this Navy has to offer and I hope that I make them proud in representing them in the upcoming regional SOY board.”

The YNC Latoya Calvin Leadership Award is synonymous with NMFP Headquarters SOY and goes to an enlisted Sailor at NMFP headquarters who exudes the highest standards in their job and in their ability to communicate with subordinate commands.

“The award was inspired by its namesake, a former Flag Writer to the Admiral at NMFP, and given to those who displayed superb leadership, while educating and guiding Sailors to do the same,” said Command Master Chief Petty Officer Sean E. Howe, command master chief, NMFP. “I never got to meet YNC Calvin, but she was held in the highest regard. This award is given only to a Sailor who is stationed at the region’s headquarters and exudes the highest standards in their job.”

Clark enlisted in the Navy in October 2005. She completed Hospital Corpsman “A” School at Naval Hospital Corps School Great Lakes, Illinois.

She started out as a surgical technician in the Navy on active duty and transitioned to the Selected Reserves in October 2013.

“I later decided that the civilian way of life was not my cup of tea and I decided to transition back to active duty as a Training and Administration of the Reserves Corpsman,” said Clark. “I had many corpsman friends that loved their experiences while having a chance at seeing the world: traveling while performing a job within Navy Medicine and being able to perform tasks that you would never be able to do in the civilian sector.”

Since arriving at NMFP in August 2020, Clark has served as the assistant reserve program director and regional career counselor.

“I manage and process annual training orders for selected reserve-component Sailors providing them direct operational support to the AOR,” said Clark. “I also assist in the administration and operational requirements to provide ready medical personnel to various commands in support of warfighter readiness and mobilization billets.”

According to Clark, some of the best experiences she’s had in the Navy were the chances to travel and immerse in other cultures.

“My time spent in Japan truly made a lasting impression on me and my family,” said Clark. “We loved the calmness of life that the Japanese culture taught us and the adventures we had the opportunity to experience.”

At NMFP, Clark has been part of the organizational redesign that has centered the unit toward expeditionary Navy Medicine.

“Being here at NMFP, I have really been afforded the opportunity to see and learn all the intricate details that go into all the working components of building a deployable platform that is ready at any given time to support global operations,” said Clark. “My time here with NMFP has definitely been ‘eye opening’ and given me a huge insight to the bigger picture of how all components of the Navy work together for one common goal and mission.”

But the most rewarding part of job is her interactions with Sailors.

“The best part of my career is having the opportunity to mentor young Sailors and guide them to a pathway to a long and successful career,” said Clark. “I always love training those who will eventually replace me and who become a reflections of me once it’s my time to retire from my Naval career.”

Naval Medical Forces Pacific provides oversight for 10 NMRTCs, on the West Coast and Pacific Rim that man, train, and equip medical forces, primarily in military treatment facilities. NMFP also oversees eight research laboratories that deliver cutting edge health and medical research to enhance the deployment readiness and survivability of our Joint Forces.