Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Timothy Godbee | 150722-N-SK590-314 WASHINGTON (July 21, 2015) The 2015 Military Times Service Members...... read more read more
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WASHINGTON - Five service members from all four branches of the Department of Defense and the U.S. Coast Guard were honored during the 2015 Military Times Service Members of the Year award ceremony in the Caucus Room of the Cannon House Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., July 21.
The awardees were nominated for the awards by their peers for service to both their nation and communities.
The Navy's honoree was Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Sara Freeman, assigned to the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69).
"I was truly humbled and honored when I found out; I don't feel like I should be here," said Freeman. "I've done community work, worked hard every day and helped people at every opportunity, but that's what being a Sailor is."
Though Freeman was humble about her selection, her chain of command is overwhelmingly impressed with her. She was nominated by her leading chief petty officer without her knowledge until she was pulled aside by her upper chain of command and told the news via a conference telephone call with the Navy Times editor.
"I didn't know what to do," said Freeman. "I couldn't hear or see anything at that point. I had to maintain my military bearing, but the shock was overwhelming."
The awardees received a weeklong, all-expense-paid trip to Washington, D.C., a ceremony on Capitol Hill with numerous members of congress, high-ranking military officials and family in attendance, $1,000 donated to their local MWR and a $30,000 scholarship to Kaplan University that can be used by themselves or a dependent.
"HM3 Freeman has a little over five years in the Navy," said Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Integration of Capabilities and Recourses, Vice Adm. Joseph Malloy. "In this time she has done almost as much as the average senior chief. Her efforts as command pregnancy coordinator pushed women's health readiness to 89 percent. She also administered 1,556 health assessments, nearly 4,000 immunizations, qualified 12 CPR instructors and 54 basic life support students, helping Ike net a 99 percent individual medical readiness rate - the highest in the fleet."
Freeman, a survivor of sexual assault prior to joining the Navy, also served on Eisenhower's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team and volunteered her personal time to prevent sexual assault in the Hampton Roads area. As impressive as her resume may read, she accredits her recent success to being herself, genuinely caring, and working hard.
"I wake up every day and I'm thankful for all of the small things I have - especially my son," said Freeman. "Having a positive attitude and going into every situation knowing that you may not get what you want, but you'll always have what you need is what keeps me going."
This year, the 15th Military Times Service Members of the Year ceremony, had the most applicants in the program's history which increased competition for each of the service members selected.
| Date Taken: | 07.21.2015 |
| Date Posted: | 07.22.2015 15:01 |
| Story ID: | 170768 |
| Location: | WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, US |
| Web Views: | 71 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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