NAPLES, Italy - Petty Officer 3rd Class Michael Murphy, a native of Yucca Valley, California, is playing a critical role in the U.S. Navy’s efforts to maintain a healthy and ready fighting force in the face of the Coronavirus pandemic.
As a hospital corpsman working at the Naval Hospital in Naples, Italy, Murphy’s skills are vital to maintaining the health of the sailors in the Naples area, and by extension, the readiness of the Navy’s officer training commands of which they serve.
“The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic brought an invisible enemy to our shores and changed the way we operate as a Navy,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "The fight against this virus is a tough one, but our sailors are tougher. We must harden our Navy by continuing to focus on the health and safety of our forces and our families. The health and safety of our sailors and their families is, and must continue to be, our number one priority.”
Murphy is a 2008 Yucca Valley High School graduate and 2011 San Bernardino Valley College graduate. According to Murphy, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Yucca Valley.
“Yucca Valley is near 29 Palms and a lot of my friends growing up became Marines, and that made me interested in working with them,” Murphy said. “Yucca Valley is a small town with a big sense of community so you really become aware of your impact on others which is directly applicable to how we need to behave during the COVID pandemic.”
U.S. Navy Medicine is the most decorated career field in the Navy. Navy Hospital Corpsmen have earned 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 959 Silver Stars and more than 1,600 Bronze Stars. Twenty ships have been named in honor of corpsmen.
In its century of service, the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps has supported millions of sailors and Marines in wartime and peace around the world. As the years have progressed, technological innovations are transforming medical training for the next generation of hospital corpsmen, according to Navy officials.
“Our legacy separates itself from any other legacy of a medical community because it's built on a lot of heroism; it's built on combat medicine,” Murphy said. “It means that if you're going to be a medical professional in the Navy, you need to do it with a little bit more velocity and you need to do it a little bit more aggressively. That bolstered my sense of confidence coming into it.”
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Murphy, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition that dates back centuries. Their efforts, especially during this time of challenge brought on by the Coronavirus, will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who provide the Navy the nation needs.
“I feel I have a lot more purpose than I did previously because the aspect of my job as a histology corpsman isn't very deployable,” Murphy added. “I usually do a lot of behind the scenes laboratory work, but in the face of COVID, I find myself doing things like screenings, and being placed in aspects of the medical community where manning is sorely needed. I get to be a little bit more useful than I was.”
“The Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic brought an invisible enemy to our shores and changed the way we operate as a Navy,” said Adm. Mike Gilday, Chief of Naval Operations. "The fight against this virus is a tough one, but our sailors are tougher. We must harden our Navy by continuing to focus on the health and safety of our forces and our families. The health and safety of our sailors and their families is, and must continue to be, our number one priority.”
Murphy is a 2008 Yucca Valley High School graduate and 2011 San Bernardino Valley College graduate. According to Murphy, the values required to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Yucca Valley.
“Yucca Valley is near 29 Palms and a lot of my friends growing up became Marines, and that made me interested in working with them,” Murphy said. “Yucca Valley is a small town with a big sense of community so you really become aware of your impact on others which is directly applicable to how we need to behave during the COVID pandemic.”
U.S. Navy Medicine is the most decorated career field in the Navy. Navy Hospital Corpsmen have earned 22 Medals of Honor, 179 Navy Crosses, 959 Silver Stars and more than 1,600 Bronze Stars. Twenty ships have been named in honor of corpsmen.
In its century of service, the U.S. Navy Hospital Corps has supported millions of sailors and Marines in wartime and peace around the world. As the years have progressed, technological innovations are transforming medical training for the next generation of hospital corpsmen, according to Navy officials.
“Our legacy separates itself from any other legacy of a medical community because it's built on a lot of heroism; it's built on combat medicine,” Murphy said. “It means that if you're going to be a medical professional in the Navy, you need to do it with a little bit more velocity and you need to do it a little bit more aggressively. That bolstered my sense of confidence coming into it.”
As a member of the U.S. Navy, Murphy, as well as other sailors, know they are a part of a service tradition that dates back centuries. Their efforts, especially during this time of challenge brought on by the Coronavirus, will have a lasting effect around the globe and for generations of sailors who provide the Navy the nation needs.
“I feel I have a lot more purpose than I did previously because the aspect of my job as a histology corpsman isn't very deployable,” Murphy added. “I usually do a lot of behind the scenes laboratory work, but in the face of COVID, I find myself doing things like screenings, and being placed in aspects of the medical community where manning is sorely needed. I get to be a little bit more useful than I was.”