Photo By Douglas Stutz | Leading by example...Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Carlos Rangelmejia and other members...... read more read more
By Douglas H Stutz, Naval Hospital Bremerton Public Affairs -- When the organizers for a Sunday morning ceremony needed a color guard to help commemorate the 15th anniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks against the U.S., they knew who to call.
Again.
Naval Hospital Bremerton's Color Guard paraded the colors at the Kitsap 9/11 Memorial in Bremerton’s Evergreen-Rotary Park in front of civic leaders, retired veteran groups and community members, as was the case five years ago when the two World Trade Center Artifact steel beams that comprise the memorial were escorted to the area in 2010.
It was during the arrival ceremony in Kitsap County on August 22, 2010 that NHB’s Color Guard took part in the symbolic and solemn honor of assisting with folding the flag that arrived as hallowed wrapping for the two steel I-beams, #I-0037 and #I-0046, which were donated by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey from the World Trade Center attack that fateful day in 2001.
“To be here was definitely an honor. We didn’t know that there were going to be other color guards taking part, and they also looked good and did really well,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Carlos Rangelmejia, who along with HM3 Courtney Dupuis, HM3 Jason Johnson, HM3 Kristen Jurgensen and HN Ryver Kallstrom, made up NHB’s contingent for the 9/11 event.
Participating in the 9/11 ceremony marked the 101st event completed so far this year for NHB’s Color Guard, comprised entirely of staff volunteers.
“We still have more events coming up before the end of the year. My goal this year is to double numbers from last year,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Garrett Masters, NHB Color Guard captain and Nuclear Medicine Technologist.
Last year the color guard completed 127 events ranging from high school and college graduations, to Washington State congressional and U.S. senate sessions along with special occasions like the annual Washington State Special Olympic SW Region Basketball Tournament, Veteran's Day parades and memorial observances. The previous two years the color guard completed 87 events in 2014 and 75 events in 2013.
“Since taking over as captain of the color guard in 2015, I've tried to test our color guard’s ability to accept and help the community in as many events as possible. We not only try to do many events but help in mentoring our newest members to become great leaders so when they move on from this command they know exactly how to mentor the next generation. We have members in our color guard who come from all different corners of the map. Each brings with them different knowledge and tools to help the color guard get better. I encourage each and every one of our members to help one another to not only get better at what we do but to also utilize each other for teamwork purposes,” Master said.
The majority of the appearances for the color guard have been mainly at local commands for Navy retirement ceremonies, change of commands, official observances and pageantries. Yet they have traveled in the state as far south to the small town of Toledo to Whidbey Island up north, across Puget Sound in Seattle and throughout the greater Kitsap Peninsula supporting community events.
“The biggest key to our success with doing a lot of events is our ability to work as a team and take care of one another whether its watch or event coverage. There are many times that members will volunteer for an event and then an unexpected emergency happens in which they are unable to do the event. We quickly look to our backup members to help accommodate and cover so that we don't turn down any event. We work hard as a team and devote ourselves to the community and the Navy to make sure that no event is left uncovered,” explained Masters.
NHB’s Color Guard has been notable in their participation of providing support throughout the region, such as parading the colors on July 15, 2007, across - and the back again - the entire length of Tacoma Narrows Straits of Puget Sound as part of the opening ceremony for the new span of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge.
That’s 1.12 miles each way.
“We’re the ‘yes we can’ types. We are trying to put more emphasis on not only representing Naval Hospital Bremerton, but also of course, the Navy as a whole,” stated Masters.
The all-volunteer ranks of the command’s color guard has 29 members, with Chief Hospital Corpsman Sam Turman as the Leading Chief Petty Officer, Masters as the captain and leading petty officer and HM3 Class Daniel Stott as co-captain and assistant leading petty officer. Also on the team are Boatswain’s Mate 2nd Class Jane K. Marcano, HM3 Kimberly Huidor, HM3 Tryzon Valencia, HM3 Winelly Florentino, HM3 Jayelvin Calbes, HM3 Dominique Nezey, Yeoman 3rd Class Brittany Schloth, HM3 Jodiann Tracey, HM3 Ashley Wert, HM3 Santiago Ortiz, HM3 Daniel Brown, Hospitalman Kreshelle Ashley Garcia, HN Taniaya Wagner, HN Kristina Sweeney, HN Chayra Valdez, Personnel Specialist Seaman Tyler Hallmark, HN Mariah McCubbin, HN Dominic Colon, HN Lucas Schroeder, Hospitalman Apprentice Alma Torres.
| Date Taken: | 09.11.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2016 16:07 |
| Story ID: | 209477 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 227 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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