MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Petty Officer 3rd Class Irvin Gonzalez, a native of Mission, Texas, serves with Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Rota.
Gonzalez graduated from Juarez Lincoln High School in 2018.
Today, Gonzalez serves as a hospital corpsman.
“As a first-generation American, I wanted to give some type of service to my country that has given so much to my family and me,” Gonzalez said. “As for why I chose Navy medicine, well, I always liked helping people, and corpsman is a very respected rating.”
Gonzalez said he enjoys the opportunities within his chosen field.
“As a dental lab tech, I believe that my job significantly improves my fellow sailors’ and Marines’ morale,” Gonzalez said. “Teeth are viewed as an aesthetic, but I’m a believer of the high mental toll they can take. So when I complete a new set of crowns, veneers, implants, etc., I know I’m supporting our troop’s morale and mental health.”
Gonzalez loves being able to make a difference in his patients.
“We sometimes get cases where a sailor is deploying soon and needs to receive a same-day crown, or a partial denture,” Gonzalez said. “You can see the distress the patients are under, and when we complete restoration, the patients always leave thankful, assured and with improved morale for their deployment.”
Gonzalez said this to others thinking about joining the Navy medicine.
“I would say joining the Navy is already a big step, but with Navy medicine, the opportunities for growth, not just as a member of the military, but also if you wanted to venture into civilian medicine one day, because most of what is taught to us here translates well into the civilian sector,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is proud of his accomplishments so early in his career.
“Earning my Fleet Marine Force pin has been my proudest accomplishment,” Gonzalez said. “I studied for months and completed many assignments as I was working on top of that. When I got the news that the board passed me, I felt a great sense of achievement.”
According to Navy officials, NMRTC’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high-quality healthcare services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research.
Navy Medicine — represented by more than 44,000 highly trained military and civilian healthcare professionals — provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below and above the sea, and ashore.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
“America is a maritime nation, and for 250 years, America’s warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom,” Navy officials said.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on secure undersea fiber optic cables, Navy leaders emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the fabric of America.
Gonzalez says serving his country is very meaningful.
“It means everything to me,” Gonzalez said. “To serve my country not only as a job, but as a springboard to limitless opportunities to improve my education and experience.”
Gonzalez graduated from Juarez Lincoln High School in 2018.
Today, Gonzalez serves as a hospital corpsman.
“As a first-generation American, I wanted to give some type of service to my country that has given so much to my family and me,” Gonzalez said. “As for why I chose Navy medicine, well, I always liked helping people, and corpsman is a very respected rating.”
Gonzalez said he enjoys the opportunities within his chosen field.
“As a dental lab tech, I believe that my job significantly improves my fellow sailors’ and Marines’ morale,” Gonzalez said. “Teeth are viewed as an aesthetic, but I’m a believer of the high mental toll they can take. So when I complete a new set of crowns, veneers, implants, etc., I know I’m supporting our troop’s morale and mental health.”
Gonzalez loves being able to make a difference in his patients.
“We sometimes get cases where a sailor is deploying soon and needs to receive a same-day crown, or a partial denture,” Gonzalez said. “You can see the distress the patients are under, and when we complete restoration, the patients always leave thankful, assured and with improved morale for their deployment.”
Gonzalez said this to others thinking about joining the Navy medicine.
“I would say joining the Navy is already a big step, but with Navy medicine, the opportunities for growth, not just as a member of the military, but also if you wanted to venture into civilian medicine one day, because most of what is taught to us here translates well into the civilian sector,” Gonzalez said.
Gonzalez is proud of his accomplishments so early in his career.
“Earning my Fleet Marine Force pin has been my proudest accomplishment,” Gonzalez said. “I studied for months and completed many assignments as I was working on top of that. When I got the news that the board passed me, I felt a great sense of achievement.”
According to Navy officials, NMRTC’s mission is to prepare service members to deploy in support of operational forces, deliver high-quality healthcare services, and shape the future of military medicine through education, training and research.
Navy Medicine — represented by more than 44,000 highly trained military and civilian healthcare professionals — provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below and above the sea, and ashore.
The U.S. Navy is celebrating its 250th birthday this year.
“America is a maritime nation, and for 250 years, America’s warfighting Navy has sailed the globe in defense of freedom,” Navy officials said.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on secure undersea fiber optic cables, Navy leaders emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the fabric of America.
Gonzalez says serving his country is very meaningful.
“It means everything to me,” Gonzalez said. “To serve my country not only as a job, but as a springboard to limitless opportunities to improve my education and experience.”