Photo By Elaine Heirigs | Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Zackary Blake Taylor, hospital corpsman from Navy Medicine...... read more read more
NAVAL AIR STATION FALLON Nevada (February 24, 2023) – “You get out of the Navy what you put into it and hard work will eventually pay off,” said Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Zackary Blake Taylor, hospital corpsman from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Fallon who was named the 2022 Naval Medical Forces Pacific’s (NMFP) Junior Sailor of the Year. “Just put out the good vibes, stay hungry the universe will give good vibes back.”
Taylor is from Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina and was a 2015 graduate of West Brunswick High School. He received honors from the region competing against other top-notch 3rd class petty officers from hospitals and clinics within NMFP’s area of responsibility.
“I joined the Navy in 2018 after taking an interest in medicine. I originally wanted to become a Marine however they don’t have their own medics and the Marine recruiters directed me to the Navy office,” said Taylor.
Growing up on the beach in North Carolina Taylor enjoyed surfing, fishing and being outdoors. Prior to joining the Navy, he was working and going to college but wanted to do something more with his time and life, so he decided to enlist in the Navy.
“I enjoy helping people and the camaraderie that is part of a being on a team,” said Taylor. “A Navy Hospital Corpsman seemed like an obvious choice.”
In April 2019, Taylor graduated from the Naval Hospital Corps School then reported to Fallon in July of 2020 following the Search and Rescue Medical Technician (SMT) pipeline. He is currently a Search and Rescue Medical Technician for NMTRU Fallon, stands alert and flies for Search and Rescue (SAR) and the Naval Aviation Warfare Development Command (NAWDC).
While Fallon is his first duty station, the Navy has taken him many places: Pensacola, Florida, Kittery, Maine, Norfolk, Virginia, San Diego, California, and other locations around the world.
“While stationed in Fallon I have been able to explore northeast California and western Nevada through various training flights,” said Taylor. “I have also done one deployment on an amphibious assault ship, the USS Kearsarge (LHD-3) out of Norfolk, Virginia where we stopped at eight different countries throughout northern Europe. I spent time in the Arctic and explored many of the major port cities in the Baltic region.”
On deployment he served as a part of the En Route Care (ERC) team attached to Fleet Surgical Team Two which was different from SAR duty where he normally performs point of injury medicine. As a part of ERC, they transported post-surgical and critical care patients in a medical evacuation capacity.
Taylor was also recently selected to be one of two members from NMRTU Fallon who are currently training at the Loannis A. Lougaris VA Medical Center in Reno, Nev. for a four-week skill sustainment course.
“We do rotations with various departments inside the VA hospital including, five days in the emergency room, three to five days learning surgical services, two days in mental health, five to seven days in the intensive care unit (ICU) as well as following a wound care nurse. The training coordinator for the VA, Sara Dubois, is helpful finding us cases that are good learning opportunities.”
With this VA assignment and continual training during SAR duty, Taylor shows that he values continuing education and is always willing to learn new skills.
“I am extremely honored to be selected as Naval Medical Forces Pacific’s junior sailor of the year,” said Taylor. “I know this is a huge accomplishment in my Navy career. It’s a sense of pride I will carry with me throughout my career and a driving factor to keep performing at a high level and possibly compete for the honor again one day.”
Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Fallon/Naval Branch Health Clinic Fallon, Nev. is a unit of Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Lemoore/Naval Health Clinic Lemoore, Calif. The medical unit in Fallon provides outpatient medical care to active-duty service members and their dependents assigned to, and within a 30-mile radius of, Naval Air Station Fallon. The clinic’s mission is to advance the readiness and health of our warfighters and beneficiaries and invest in our people and partnerships. We keep warfighters in the fight!
| Date Taken: | 02.24.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 02.24.2023 17:25 |
| Story ID: | 439177 |
| Location: | FALLON, NEVADA, US |
| Hometown: | OCEAN ISLE BEACH, NORTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 613 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
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