MILLINGTON, Tenn. - A native of Kingsburg, California, serves at Naval Medical Readiness Logistics Command Detachment (NMRLC DET), Naval Ophthalmic Readiness Activity (NORA) Yorktown, Virginia.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcus Estrada, a 2020 graduate of Kingsburg High School, joined the Navy two years ago.
“Coming out of high school, I wanted to do something with the medical field, so I took an EMT class in college and ended up wanting more of a medical experience,” said Estrada. “I joined the Navy as a corpsman in hopes of getting that medical experience I was looking for.”
Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Kingsburg.
“A lesson that I’ve learned from my hometown is to be the guy people can depend on,” said Estrada.
Today, Estrada serves as a hospital corpsman, responsible for providing outpatient medical care to active-duty military personnel, military retirees and their family members.
“I like what we do for the U.S. military personnel as a whole,” said Estrada. “We provide eyewear to service members across the world.”
NMRLC manages the warehouse and production facility that procures, produces, manages, sustains, prepositions, and deploys rapidly deployable Expeditionary Medical (EXMED) Platforms in support of operational plans, exercise support, and real-world operations.
NMRLC is at the heart of Navy Medicine’s enterprise-wide foundational change, designing and delivering agile and integrated capabilities to the Fleet and Fleet Marine Forces in the Distributed Maritime Operations. These unique capabilities will provide medical assets to Combatant Commanders in theatres around the world.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Estrada has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud that I get to help out thousands of people every day,” said Estrada. “I’m helping thousands of people who I’ll never meet.”
Estrada will take part in a humanitarian mission to Alaska in May.
NORA deploys Sailors and Soldiers with mobile optical fabrication capability in support of National Guard and U.S. Navy Reserve missions, prefabricate eyewear for overseas humanitarian relief and medical civic action program missions, according to NMRLC. It is also the only laboratory to produce eyewear for the Coast Guard, Public Health Service, NASA, NOAA and other federal agencies. The role NORA plays in providing eyewear, not just to warfighters around the world, but in some cases to various indigenous populations, is accomplished through Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) missions.
An IRT is a military training evolution exclusive to the United States and its territories that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Medical missions provide these opportunities to military units while providing incidental benefit to communities via no-cost health care. Services include optometry, health exams, dental, veterinary care and public health education. Care is delivered by credentialed health care providers, and no one is turned away. These missions are typically conducted as fairs and may last for several days or weeks at a time to ensure maximum benefit during time spent in the community served.
Estrada serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
Petty Officer 3rd Class Marcus Estrada, a 2020 graduate of Kingsburg High School, joined the Navy two years ago.
“Coming out of high school, I wanted to do something with the medical field, so I took an EMT class in college and ended up wanting more of a medical experience,” said Estrada. “I joined the Navy as a corpsman in hopes of getting that medical experience I was looking for.”
Skills and values learned in the Navy are similar to those found in Kingsburg.
“A lesson that I’ve learned from my hometown is to be the guy people can depend on,” said Estrada.
Today, Estrada serves as a hospital corpsman, responsible for providing outpatient medical care to active-duty military personnel, military retirees and their family members.
“I like what we do for the U.S. military personnel as a whole,” said Estrada. “We provide eyewear to service members across the world.”
NMRLC manages the warehouse and production facility that procures, produces, manages, sustains, prepositions, and deploys rapidly deployable Expeditionary Medical (EXMED) Platforms in support of operational plans, exercise support, and real-world operations.
NMRLC is at the heart of Navy Medicine’s enterprise-wide foundational change, designing and delivering agile and integrated capabilities to the Fleet and Fleet Marine Forces in the Distributed Maritime Operations. These unique capabilities will provide medical assets to Combatant Commanders in theatres around the world.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“We will earn and reinforce the trust and confidence of the American people every day,” said Adm. Lisa Franchetti, chief of naval operations. “Together we will deliver the Navy the nation needs.”
Estrada has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“I am proud that I get to help out thousands of people every day,” said Estrada. “I’m helping thousands of people who I’ll never meet.”
Estrada will take part in a humanitarian mission to Alaska in May.
NORA deploys Sailors and Soldiers with mobile optical fabrication capability in support of National Guard and U.S. Navy Reserve missions, prefabricate eyewear for overseas humanitarian relief and medical civic action program missions, according to NMRLC. It is also the only laboratory to produce eyewear for the Coast Guard, Public Health Service, NASA, NOAA and other federal agencies. The role NORA plays in providing eyewear, not just to warfighters around the world, but in some cases to various indigenous populations, is accomplished through Innovative Readiness Training (IRT) missions.
An IRT is a military training evolution exclusive to the United States and its territories that delivers joint training opportunities to increase deployment readiness. Medical missions provide these opportunities to military units while providing incidental benefit to communities via no-cost health care. Services include optometry, health exams, dental, veterinary care and public health education. Care is delivered by credentialed health care providers, and no one is turned away. These missions are typically conducted as fairs and may last for several days or weeks at a time to ensure maximum benefit during time spent in the community served.
Estrada serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the Navy means a lot to me,” added Estrada. “It gave me an opportunity to grow up and develop skills that will help me in life.”