MILLINGTON, Tenn. — Petty Officer 2nd Class Brendan Takamori, from San Diego, California, was recently selected as Sailor of the Year 2025 for the III Marine Expeditionary Force while serving with the 3rd Marine Logistics Group in Okinawa, Japan.
Takamori graduated from Rancho Bernardo High School in 2014 and earned an associate degree in health sciences from American Military University in 2026.
The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in San Diego.
“Growing up in Hawaii, I learned from my family and neighbors about respect, compassion, community, and responsibility,” Takamori said. “San Diego reinforced those values for me, but I also learned there are things that are impossible to do alone, no matter how spirited or motivated you are. You need a strong team and support system to give you the edge you need in order to succeed.”
Takamori has served in the Navy for eight years. Today, Takamori serves as a hospital corpsman.
“My family has a rich tradition of military service,” Takamori said. “My grandfathers, two of my uncles, my mom, and six of my cousins all honorably served with or in the military. I have always pursued a career for myself in the military because it is what my family has always done.”
The mission of 3rd Marine Logistics Group is to provide direct and general health service support to III Marine Expeditionary Force in Okinawa, Japan, in order to sustain the combat effort across the full spectrum of Marine Air-Ground Task Force operations.
Takamori has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“For me, the thing I am most proud of in my career thus far is leading my battalion’s medical team during two deployments,” Takamori said. “Again, I am a firm believer that people accomplish more together rather than as individuals, and seeing the medical team take care of our Marines and sailors each day to make sure they are healthy enough to complete the missions was a huge team win.”
Takamori said the team worked together to overcome the challenges they faced to support each other and the mission.
“Through freezing temperatures, long days and even longer nights, they had each other’s backs when things got hard,” Takamori said. “They picked each other up during the tough times, and even responded to real-life emergencies on more than one occasion. Through all that, they were able to lean on one another for strength and support, as any good team should be able to, and watching them perform to that level has made me proud beyond words.”
This year, the Navy is commemorating its contributions 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 internet access 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 country.
“Serving in the Navy is a way for me to not only give back to and protect my community, but also helps me to feel connected to my ancestors and my family’s history,” Takamori said. “It is a very rewarding experience for me, and I am very grateful to have the opportunity to serve.”
Takamori is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I, of course, want to give a shout out to my parents, because without their guidance, love and support, I would not be here today,” Takamori said. “To my siblings, thanks for the endless good memories and the laughs. And to my aunties, uncles, cousins and all the extended family I have far and wide, thanks for always being there to cheer me on and make me a better person.”