Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Sasha Ambrose | 250421-N-IX644-1022 (April 22, 2025) FALLS CHURCH, Va. Yeoman 1st Class Joseph Hunt, a...... read more read more
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Yeoman 1st Class Joseph Hunt, a native of Surveyor, West Virginia, was announced as the U.S. Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery’s Senior Sailor of the Year (SSOY), Fiscal Year 2025, at Defense Health Headquarters, April 14, 2025.
Hunt coordinated 63 senior leader meetings that impacted 430,000 personnel, planned and executed 23 flag-level events across all areas of responsibility within Navy Medicine, while providing direct support and counsel to senior leadership. He also fostered a collaborative environment for five junior flag writers that he personally mentors and was a champion of command resilience initiatives that resulted in a 60% DEOCS survey completion rate.
“Being named SSOY means a lot to me because it showcases the leadership that my mentors, teammates, peers, family and friends have instilled in me throughout my years of service,” explained Hunt. “It is an honor to represent BUMED as the SSOY and shows anything can be achieved through hard work, dedication, and a good team behind you pushing you to be better every day!”
Hunt was hand-selected by Rear Adm. Darin K. Via, Chief, BUMED, to fill the critical E-8 billet as his flag writer, a role that would ask a lot of any Sailor, but Hunt exceeded those expectations and enhanced command efficiency, readiness and morale along the way.
“YN1 Hunt’s humility, composure, extensive knowledge and desire to assist others up and down the chain of command is only but a fraction of the attributes of why he was selected as BUMED Headquarters SSOY,” said Command Master Chief Xavier Johnson. “YN1’s ability to recognize opportunities for improvement and capitalize on them reverberate throughout the command.”
Outside of his normal duties, Hunt also took on collateral duties within BUMED, including being a command sponsor, co-lead for the Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society, and was recently appointed as the assistant suicide prevention coordinator, demonstrating impact and commitment to serving both his country and his shipmates.
In reporting senior remarks, Capt. Romeo Tizon, director of Headquarters Operations, wrote, “Petty Officer Hunt thrives in a demanding, two-star environment at BUMED headquarters, consistently exceeding expectations. His exceptional work ethic and remarkable maturity have quickly established him as a trusted advisor and indispensable leader.”
Since enlisting in the Navy in the Seaman Professional Apprenticeship Career Track (PACT) program in October 2009, Hunt has consistently pushed himself to achieve more. While assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ 136), he played a key role in Operation Tomodachi in 2011, volunteering to stay behind after the tsunami with another Sailor to ensure all families were evacuated back state-side.
Later he was hand-picked to attend the Flag Writer C School in Meridian, Mississippi before being accepted into the Flag Writer Program. Currently, Hunt is studying for a bachelor’s degree in Homeland Security with a minor in Military History.
Hunt will represent BUMED at the Navy Medicine Sailor of the Year competition, where one outstanding Navy Medicine Sailor will be meritoriously promoted to the rank of chief petty officer.
The “Sailor of the Year” is a time-honored tradition introduced by Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet in 1972. This annual competition is held to recognize the superior performance of individual Sailors, who exceed in personifying the ideals of the Navy Core Values.
For 250 years, Navy Medicine — represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian healthcare professionals — has delivered quality healthcare and enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
| Date Taken: | 04.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 04.22.2025 15:31 |
| Story ID: | 495905 |
| Location: | FALLS CHURCH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Hometown: | SURVEYOR, WEST VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 85 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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