Profile in Professionalism: HM1 Kenneth Compton

HM1 Kenneth Compton’s journey to the Navy began in 2005 with a search for stability that quickly transformed into a commitment to serve and lead. Starting with a National Call of Service contract, he completed active and reserve duty before transitioning to Training and Administration of the Reserves (TAR) in 2015. Today, as LPO at Navy Reserve Center Corpus Christi, Compton plays a critical role in mission readiness by directing drill weekends, coordinating daily operations, and communicating key information between junior enlisted personnel and senior leadership.

Raised in Weatherford, Texas, Compton’s early years instilled in him a strong work ethic that he now channels into his service. His Navy journey began when he sought "three hots and a cot," but soon he found himself on deployments worldwide, including Iraq, Kuwait, Morocco, and Kodiak Island, Alaska. Supporting Marines as a Green Side Corpsman, Compton says, “Eighteen of my nineteen years in the military, I wore the MARPAT Marine Corps uniform. It was a different experience than most blue-side Navy, and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.”

His 19-year career includes diverse mission support roles, such as serving as an instructor at Field Medical Training Battalion, East, where he shaped corpsmen’s combat medicine skills and introduced them to Marine Corps operations. “We were teaching corpsmen to become green side corpsmen, showing them how to handle trauma in combat,” he reflects. “It was an incredible responsibility, knowing they’d be in the field with Marines.”

Compton’s skills extend beyond his Navy role; as a certified mechanic, he assists Sailors and his community in his spare time, embodying a commitment to service. “Anytime a Sailor has thanked me for helping them out of the goodness of my heart, doing something I know I can do for them,” he shares, considering these moments among his proudest.

HM1 Compton’s contributions highlight the Navy Reserve’s readiness and resilience, and his commitment to service strengthens his command’s ability to mobilize and support the active-duty component when called upon.