MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Petty Officer 3rd Class Talina Malietufa, a native of Auburn, Washington, was recently named Junior Sailor of the Year of 2025 for Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Camp Pendleton, California.
Junior Sailor of the Year is an award given to an enlisted sailor who demonstrates sustained superior performance, leadership and professionalism.
Malietufa is a 2022 graduate of Auburn Riverside High School.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Auburn.
“Growing up in Auburn, I played rugby for the Rainier Highlanders, and I was on the cheer team for Auburn Riverside Ravens,” Malietufa said. “Those sports taught me that success isn’t about individual performance, but about trust, accountability and showing up for your team even on the hardest days. In rugby, my coach would always say ‘stay cool, calm and collected,’ and I try to instill it into everyday life.”
Malietufa has served in the Navy for three years.
“I joined the Navy because of my dad,” Malietufa said. “My dad served 20 years in the Navy as a construction mechanic. I originally wanted to go to college and play rugby, but I wanted to do more with my life. I wanted to be a part of something more.”
Today, Malietufa serves as a hospital corpsman with Branch Health Clinic in Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona, a subordinate unit of NMRTC Camp Pendleton, which carries out its mission to maximize warfighter performance and enhance the readiness of the medical force.
NMRTC Camp Pendleton is comprised predominantly of military members who support Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton. The command supports overall Navy and Marine Corps readiness by training military command members to ensure they are ready to deploy and provide medical support to various operational Navy and Marine units deployed, ashore or at sea.
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contribution to the nation’s defense as the United States celebrates 250 years of independence.
According to Navy officials, for more than 250 years, the Navy has sailed the globe defending freedom and protecting prosperity.
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.
Malietufa has many opportunities to accomplish achievements while serving in the military.
“My proudest accomplishment in the Navy is passing my first physical readiness test after giving birth,” Malietufa said. “That period was really hard on me physically and mentally, but I stayed locked in and didn’t let myself fall behind. Passing with an 'excellent high' reminded me how strong I am and pushed me to keep holding myself to a high standard and to set an example for the sailors around me.”
Malietufa serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
“Serving in the military means choosing a life that challenges me to be disciplined, dependable and selfless, while building a future my son can be proud of and giving my life a purpose that’s bigger than just me,” Malietufa said.
More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/.