Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Adam Craft | From left, Petty Officer Djemilee Guirand receives accolades from Cmdr. Mike Borszich,...... read more read more
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SOUTH KOREA -- Military Sealift Command Far East selected Petty Officer Djemilee Guirand as Senior Sailor of the Quarter.
“It’s always an honor to be recognized for a job well done,” he said.
Guirand currently serves as MSC Office Korea’s communications officer. In this role, he keeps communications networks up and running – internet, phone -- and upgrades computer equipment, among other electronic systems. In addition to the installation and maintenance of these critical systems, Guirand has to ensure every member of the team complies with all security protocols.
He says that while the world of information technology can be a complicated and complex one, he believes it really boils down to one simple thing: doing his part to help maintain world peace.
“I help ensure secure communications -- both verbal and data transfers -- for our U.S. military units and allied commands. Through these secured comms, we are all able to accomplish the mission.
“Being able to see a security or contingency plan you’ve developed and executed as designed with minimal to no down time is the most gratifying part of my job.”
The Brooklyn, New York, native earned an associate degree in applied science and joined the Navy in 2004. Since then, he’s had diverse assignments, keeping IT systems running smoothly afloat and ashore. His first assignment after his initial training was aboard USS Bulkeley (DDG-84). He says he was then “privileged” to serve at Camp Arifjan in Kuwait. From there, he went to Okinawa, Japan, then to Hawaii, back to a ship -- USS Nitze (DDG-94) – and now MSCO Korea.
This marks Guirand’s first assignment with Military Sealift Command. At MSCO Korea, he works closely with active duty service members, reservists, civilians and civil service and contracted mariners. During the course of any given day, he also works with international partners in South Korea and from other parts of the region.
“Working at MSC has opened my eyes to another side of the military and what it means to work closely with our allies and partners for mission accomplishment,” Guirand says.
During the last three years at MSCO Korea, he’s applied all previous lessons learned during those former assignments to help ensure the MSCO Korea staff successfully teleworked from home when required.
In addition to the numerous little details and big challenges associated with the IT world at MSCO Korea, Guirand also volunteers to take on an impressive list of additional collateral duties important to the command and his shipmates.
For example, as the command pay and personnel administrator, he helps process paperwork associated with incoming and transferring personnel and all travel claims.
“His willingness to qualify for a critical command position that is completely out of his rate and responsibilities provided the command a needed stop-gap solution during our yeoman’s transition. His initiative enabled the command to maintain seamless personnel support capability without any negative impact to our people – or their paychecks,” said Cmdr. Mike Borszich, commanding officer of MSCO Korea.
“His efforts above and beyond his normal duties facilitated a smooth transition for numerous new personnel and Sailors supporting theater contingency operations.”
In addition, Guirand serves as a command duty officer and mentors junior Sailors at every opportunity, according to Borszich. Other collateral duties include command fitness leader, urinalysis program coordinator, communication security manager, purebred agent, trusted agent, information assurance officer, victim and witness assistance program coordinator, and IT representative.
All that responsibility is still not enough for Guirand; he continues to seek more. In his spare time, he serves in the community. Currently, he is an active member of the People of Goodwill Association, a combined non-profit morale and community outreach organization focused on enhancing host nation relationships and projection of a positive U.S. Navy image. Guirand also volunteers to support the Miewon Orphanage.
“All my positions are important because not only do I provide physical and mental wellness for the individual members of the command, and in some cases the community, but I also help make sure that everyone at MSCO Korea gets paid, all while keeping their email system and government phones operable.”
| Date Taken: | 12.15.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 12.15.2021 21:31 |
| Story ID: | 411234 |
| Location: | KR |
| Hometown: | BROOKLYN, NEW YORK, US |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Brooklyn Native Serves the Nation in Korea, by Leslie Hull-Ryde, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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