Photo By Cmdr. Cheryl Collins | Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Katie Kiggins, a Navy Reserve citizen Sailor from Cedar...... read more read more
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CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Katie Kiggins, a native of Cedar Park, Texas, has exemplified commitment and adaptability in her service with the U.S. Navy Reserve. Enlisting in August 2022, Kiggins has swiftly integrated into her role, currently recalled to active duty serving on short-term orders to Navy Reserve Center (NRC) Corpus Christi.
Originally born in Canada before moving to the U.S. as a young child, Kiggins reflected on her decision to join the Navy. She said, "I was pursuing my degree in communications but wasn’t sure that was the path I wanted to go down. I knew medical was a path I was interested in and so was potentially commissioning into the Navy. I also needed my citizenship; enlisting gave me the opportunity to do that as well."
In her capacity as a hospital corpsman, Kiggins manages medical records at the reserve center. During her annual training, she deployed to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego where she administered vaccines, performed blood draws, and assisted in the clinic. These experiences underscore the vital role hospital corpsmen play in maintaining the health and readiness of service members.
Vice Adm. Nancy Lacore, Chief of Navy Reserve and Commander, Navy Reserve Force, emphasized the importance of readiness and personal development among Sailors:
“We will build a culture that enables all Sailors to reach their full potential; fosters high-performance at the individual, unit, and Force levels; and promotes a sense of connectedness across the entire Navy Reserve.”
Kiggins attributes her success in the Navy to lessons learned in her hometown, like “being respectful and realizing that everyone has a different background.” She noted, “Taking that with me, I had people that I played on teams with that didn’t have the same background I had, and I think it’s important when you’re in the Navy that everyone comes from different walks of life.”
Her proudest accomplishment to date is accepting short-term active duty orders, which she believes have propelled her toward her eventual goal of active-duty service. "I knew I wanted to go active at some point, and this kind of helped push me in the right direction," Kiggins said.
Sailors like Kiggins are vital to the warfighting mission at every rank in the Navy.
Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations, highlighted the significance of empowering leaders at all levels of service. "We will use the principles of mission command to empower leaders at all levels to operate in uncertain, complex, and rapidly changing environments, ready to take initiative and bold action with confidence," Franchetti remarked.
Kiggins acknowledges the support of her sister and mentors within the Navy, such as Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class Julienne Agarrado, for guiding her through her journey. "She's been pretty impactful with helping me kind of figure out and navigate how the Navy works," Kiggins shared.
As she continues her service, Kiggins embodies the Navy's core values and the spirit of dedication, contributing significantly to the mission and readiness of the force.
| Date Taken: | 01.26.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.07.2025 17:29 |
| Story ID: | 489714 |
| Location: | CORPUS CHRISTI, TEXAS, US |
| Hometown: | CEDAR PARK, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 455 |
| Downloads: | 3 |
This work, Cedar Park Sailor’s Journey from Uncertainty to Service, by PO2 Iain Page, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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