Courtesy Photo | Seaman Apprentice Zachary Reyes graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training...... read more read more
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GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Seaman Apprentice Zachary Reyes graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) November 7, 2024.
Reyes, from Silver Spring, Maryland, said he enlisted for a variety of reasons, including the opportunity to continue his family’s military legacy.
“My stepfather and my three older brothers all served in the Marine Corps,” Reyes said. “Being exposed to the military is what made me want to join the Navy and be a hospital corpsman. I took some EMT classes and that experience really opened my eyes to the field of medicine. My brother is in reconnaissance with the Marines and has always been a strong male presence in my life. I hope to also go into the special warfare program as a corpsman and follow in his footsteps.”
Reyes, 18, graduated from James Hubert Blake High School, where he was a National Honor Society recipient. In addition, he was a member of the varsity lacrosse team and the engineering club.
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 him at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Reyes is awarded a flag letter of commendation as part of his recognition.
The award, according to Reyes, is the best possible first step to start his naval career.
“Never in my life have I won an award like this one, and honestly I’m not even sure I’m deserving of the recognition,” says Reyes. “I was obviously very excited and happy that I’d won when I found out, but afterwards I started to question things. When my brothers and everyone else I told congratulated me, all I could think about was how all the other recruits I was in training with were just as qualified, if not more so, than I was. They deserved it just as much as me, and I still feel that way today. The only thing I can do now is continue to work hard and do my best to be a role model for others. I want to make sure that I make the best of this opportunity and continue to do what is expected of me as I begin my career.”
Reyes’ RDCs (Recruit Division Commanders) are Chief Gunner’s Mate (GMC) Whedy Ramilla, Electronics Technician, Submarine, Navigation 1st Class (ETV1) Phillip Seng, and Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (CTR1) Nashira Washington, and they guided him through the 10-week process.
“My second RDC (EVT1 Seng) was someone who was really good at motivating me,” he said. “The way he taught and communicated with me was really similar to what I was used to growing up, and he placed a lot of importance on the same values and morals that my parents instilled in me. There would be times when he would say something that would remind me of my stepfather, and in a way it made me a little less homesick even though they are thousands of miles away. I’m thankful for his guidance and for being an example of what I’m striving to become.”
Reyes said his biggest challenge was learning how to manage stress throughout the duration of his training.
“After the first few weeks, I started to feel like I was getting burnt out,” he said. “There’s a heavy workload here, and there are times when you just want to decompress and be alone to gather your thoughts. When your battery is on zero, it’s hard to have patience and not be rude to others. Figuring out how to handle these situations and learn how to recalibrate, take a couple deep breaths, and calm down is something that I’ve had to work to improve. I found that looking at pictures of my family and just thinking about the reasons why I’m here and what I’m doing this for were strategies that worked well for me.”
After graduation, Reyes will attend Hospital Corpsman (HM) “A” School in San Antonio, Texas, where he 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: | 11.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.07.2024 13:07 |
| Story ID: | 484843 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | SILVER SPRING, MARYLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 372 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Reyes 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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