MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Petty Officer 1st Class Kelly Jurkouich, a native of Fredericksburg, Texas, was recently awarded the Senior Sailor of the Quarter (SSOQ) award while serving with Expeditionary Medical Facility 150 Mike (EMF-M) in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Navy’s Senior Sailor of the Quarter program recognizes sailors for outstanding character, dedication and going above and beyond their duties.
“My hometown has significant military influence due to all the bases surrounding Fredericksburg,” Jurkouich said. “It taught me that the military is a very rewarding career option as long as you stick with it.”
Jurkouich graduated from Chancellor High School in 2016, and from Fayetteville Technical Community College in 2025. He joined the Navy seven years ago.
“I was in the nursing program at Germanna Community College and my advisor, Sue Skinner, was a retired captain in the Nurse Corps,” Jurkouich said. “Due to my poor grades during my third semester, she persuaded me to follow in her footsteps and enlist as a hospital corpsman. It was the best advice I have ever received.”
Today, Jurkouich serves as a hospital corpsman assigned to Expeditionary Medical Facility 150 Mike in Jacksonville, Florida.
EMF-M consists of more than 400 sailors, including medical staff and support personnel. EMFs are staffed and sourced by Navy Medicine personnel from Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Commands (NMRTCs) at military treatment facilities across the country. The bulk of EMF-M’s personnel come from NMRTC Jacksonville and Naval Hospital Jacksonville.
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.
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.
Jurkouich has had many opportunities to achieve success during his military service.
“My proudest accomplishment is passing a hyper-accelerated five-month paramedic school with good grades,” Jurkouich said. “I was also the first active duty hospital corpsman to successfully pass the new Flight Paramedic pipeline.”
Jurkouich 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 is my greatest honor,” Jurkouich said. “It gives me the chance to better myself and protect the ones I love all while getting to see the world and do things no ordinary person would do.”
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. More information is available here: https://www.navy.mil/navy-250/