Photo By Marc Lindsay | Seaman Anne Holcomb graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning...... read more read more
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GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Seaman Anne Holcomb graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) September 12, 2024.
Holcomb, from Wilmington, North Carolina, said she enlisted for a variety of reasons, including chance to expand her career opportunities.
“The medical field is something I’ve always been interested in,” Holcomb said. “When I started reading about search and rescue and the medical technicians they have, I got really excited by that option. The Navy was always my first pick for a military branch, and having the chance to become a Hospital Corpsman and go to aircrew school is a dream come true.”
Holcomb, 22, graduated from First Flight High School, where she was a member of the National Honor Society, 4H, and the varsity swimming team. After high school, Holcomb attended North Carolina State University where she graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Criminology.
The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award places her at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Holcomb is awarded a flag letter of commendation as part of her recognition.
The award, according to Holcomb, is the best possible first step to start her naval career.
“Being in a 900 division and having to perform at all the graduation ceremonies, I knew there were awards given to the top recruits,” says Holcomb. “But it really wasn’t something I was trying to achieve. My whole mindset was just to come to boot camp and do my best, which seemed to pay off for me. My initial feeling when I was told I’d won the award was shock. I was happy that I could make my family proud to win an award like this. More than anything, this has shown me that I can accomplish more than I think, and that working hard and paying attention to the details is the first step to success.”
Holcomb’s RDCs (Recruit Division Commanders) are Chief Quartermaster (QMC) Tiffany Baker, Culinary Specialist 1st Class (CS1) Truitt Randall and Machinist Mate 1st Class (MM1) Dakota Saunders, and they guided her through the 10-week process.
“My unwillingness to quit was my biggest asset while I was here,” Holcomb said. “My RDCs challenged us, and you have to accept that it’s not always going to be easy. All three of them held everyone in my division to an extremely high standard from the very first day. During p-days (processing), we were told we were either going to be a smart division or a strong division. Luckily, my division turned out to be both, and we were able to accomplish a lot as a team while I was here.”
Additionally, Holcomb said her family helped push her to success.
“My mother was a huge source of motivation for me while I was here. Every time I was able to talk to her or receive a letter from her, it was just what I needed to keep going. She has no idea how much she was able to help and encourage me. I’m so grateful to have her in my corner and to know she will always be there to back me up when I need it.”
Holcomb said her biggest challenge was learning to communicate effectively with such a wide range of people.
“Having had the experience of going through college already, it was tough sometimes relating to some of the younger people in my division,” she said. “I grew and matured a lot during those four years, and not everyone here has had the same opportunity to do that quit yet. I had to learn to be patient and respect the fact that everyone is in a different place in their life. At the end of the day there are things they learned from me and things I learned from them. Having this experience has made me a much more tolerant and accepting person.”
After graduation, Holcomb will attend Hospital Corpsman (HM) “A” School in San Antonio, Texas, where she will learn basic principles and techniques of patient care and first aid procedures.
Training at RTC is approximately 10 weeks, and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. More than 40,000 Recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 09.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.13.2024 09:45 |
| Story ID: | 480779 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | WILMINGTON, INDIANA, US |
| Web Views: | 106 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
This work, Holcomb Earns Military Excellence Award at Recruit Training Command, by Marc Lindsay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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