Thursday, July 17, 2025

Marion native meritoriously advanced serving with Navy Medicine in Bahrain

By Rick Burke, Navy Office of Community Outreach

MILLINGTON, Tenn. - A native of Marion, South Carolina, was meritoriously advanced to the rank of petty officer second class serving with U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit (USNMRTU) Bahrain.

Petty Officer 2nd Class Danasia Rowell, a 2016 graduate of Marion High School, joined the Navy three years ago.

"I joined the Navy to become a mortician and to travel the world," Rowell said. "It is my dream to serve our fallen members with the utmost care and respect during their final transition back home, globally."

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Marion.

"Growing up in my hometown, I worked at a few undermanned customer service jobs," Rowell said. "Doing so, I've built upon characteristics such as resilience, communication skills, learning agility, integrity, courage and the importance of teamwork."

Today, Rowell serves as a hospital corpsman at NMRTU Bahrain.

"The best part of my job is the never-ending learning opportunities," Rowell said. "I am an Aerospace Medicine Technician (HM-AVT), and I assist flight surgeons with flight physicals, which enables our pilots to remain fully deployable and physically fit at all times. I obtained an Audiology Technician certification while in training for Aviation Medicine. With the certificate, I have successfully overseen the completion of over 3,000 audiograms since being stationed in the Kingdom of Bahrain. While stationed here, I also work in the Medical Readiness Office. I have learned various things, such as the PHA process, the many wonders of the Genesis application, as well as the inner workings of a Flu Shot-X."

USNMRTU Bahrain, a unit of U.S. Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (USNMRTC) Sigonella, Italy, provides support to 5,000 enrolled beneficiaries and 15,000 transient forces. USNMRTC Sigonella and its units in Bahrain and Souda Bay, Greece, provide high-performing, fully mission-ready medical and dental care in three geographically dispersed populations of personnel assigned to U.S. Naval Air Station Sigonella, U.S. Naval Support Activity Bahrain and U.S. Naval Support Activity Souda Bay. The sailors also provide care for headquarters staff of U.S. Central Command, NATO and ships transiting the U.S. 5th and 6th Fleet areas of responsibility.

The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.

According to Navy officials, “America is a maritime nation and for 250 years, America’s Warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom.”

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.

Rowell has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

"I am most proud of graduating boot camp and overcoming my injuries," Rowell said. "What was supposed to be a nine-week training turned into nearly six months. With the love, support and prayers from my family and friends, I persevered and completed my very first naval goal!"

Rowell can take pride in serving America through military service.

"Serving in the Navy means surrendering your time, away from family and childhood friends, comfort and civilian amenities for the greater purpose of protecting our country," Rowell said. "Serving in the Navy grants opportunities such as job security, travel, tuition assistance, physical fitness and an abundance of other benefits."

Rowell is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

"I am greatly appreciative of my loving family, childhood friends, and the life-long friends and connections I've made while serving in the Navy," Rowell added. "Most importantly, I am humbled and forever grateful for the grace, love and favor that God has overflowed into my life and my naval career. Go Navy! Beat Army!"