Page 24 - SDWM Amy Haber CoverGirl

UNDER THE C OL ORS

complished eventually with the believe in our freedom and serve gineering with a minor in Ecology
right values and principles.” for those who defended our free- from San Diego State University.
These lessons have helped doms long before our existence,” “I learned a lot about the Naval
Delacruz while serving at Navy added DelaCruz. Construction Force and its oper-
Hospital Bremerton. ations which will help me at my
NMRTC Bremerton is com- command.”
prised of military civilians sup- Despite the challenges of
porting NHB. The command the pandemic, the 15-week-long
supports Navy and Marine Corps course continues, covering a
readiness providing medical sup- wide range of U.S. Navy CEC top-
port and ensuring service mem- ics from division officer leader-
bers are ready to deploy. ship, professional development,
NHB was first established and public works to construction
in 1897. It was relocated to the technology, expeditionary con-
present location in1980, where struction, and combat operations
it has been for the last 40 years. both virtually and socially dis-
In 2001 a $24 million expansion tanced in a classroom.
project on the site was complet- “I joined the Navy because
ed adding a family care center I want to be a dive officer at the Vista native serves
wing, pharmacy, medical records, underwater construction teams,”
immunization clinic, and health said Costello. “The opportunity to aboard Navy
promotion and wellness center. be both an engineer and a diver warship in Everett,
During the spread of was too cool to pass up. Add that
COVID-19 the hospital staff es- San Diego native to the fact that the Navy sets the Washington
tablished highly effective, and prepares to serve as standard for diving, and I had to
well-coordinated public health ef- give it a shot.” By Mass Communication Special-
forts, ensuring a unified response Navy Civil Engineer Costello is heading to Na- ist 1st Class Jerry Jimenez, Navy
across Navy Region Northwest val Mobile Construction Battal- Office of Community Outreach
by establishing a drive-through By Kiana Chun, Center for Sea- ion 133 in Gulfport, Mississippi,
screening process and triage for bees and Facilities Engineering where he will be a part of a team EVERETT, Wash.– Petty Officer
all local beneficiaries. Public Affairs that provides an adaptive and 2nd Class Nicholas Rocca, a native
Serving in the Navy means scalable Naval Construction Force of Vista, California, serves the U.S.
Delacruz is part of a team that PORT HUENEME, Calif. - A ready aand capable of executing Navy aboard the guided-missile
is taking on new importance in native of San Diego and 2020 quality construction in combat or destroyer operating out of Ever-
America’s focus on rebuilding San Diego State University grad- in support of civic action, human- ett, Washington.
military readiness, strengthening uate is currently serving with itarian assistance, and disaster re- Rocca joined the Navy 12
alliances and reforming business the U.S. Navy as a civil engineer covery around the world. years ago. Today, Rocca serves as
practices in support of the Na- corps (CEC) officer, overseeing While a small community of a culinary specialist aboard USS
tional Defense Strategy. construction projects that sup- only 1,300 officers, CEC officers are Sampson based in Everett, Wash-
“The Navy provides national port the Navy’s high-tech fleet found all over the world in highly ington.
security by protecting the water- of ships, aircraft, equipment and visible positions supervising skilled “In 2008 the mortgage melt-
ways and giving other countries personnel around the world. personnel while working on con- down and stock market crash left
opportunities to grow,” said Dela- Ensign Ehrick Costello com- struction projects, infrastructure me with no job, investments, or
cruz. pleted the Civil Engineer Corps repairs and maintenance, facility cash,” said Rocca. "I had a grow-
Delacruz and other sailors Basic Qualification Course at the support contracts, real estate man- ing family, so I re-enlisted for four
have many opportunities to Naval Civil Engineer Corps Of- agement, natural resource man- more years."
achieve accomplishments during ficers School (CECOS) Oct. 29, agement, environmental planning Rocca attended Grace Chris-
their military service. 2021. Graduation from the course and management, and many other tian High School and graduated
“I'm proud of being able to is a requirement for new U.S. facilities engineering areas. From in 2005. Today, Rocca uses skills
serve those who have served,” Navy CEC officers before they go the very beginning, CEC officers and values similar to those found
said DelaCruz. “I went through on to their initial assignments obtain engineering management in Vista.
various training and schools that for Navy and Marine Corps proj- and leadership experience far ex- “I learned to work hard, never
would provide me opportunities ects, including facilities manage- ceeding that of a typical recent give up, never take no, and stay
in the civilian sector.” ment, administration, contract college graduate in engineering or motivated,” said Rocca. “You can
As Delacruz and other sailors management, public works, and architecture. do anything.”
continue to train and perform the specialized military roles such as CECOS provides Seabees, civ- These lessons have helped
missions to support national de- construction battalions. il engineer corps officers, facility Rocca while serving aboard USS
fense, they take pride in serving “In CECOS I got an under- engineers and environmental pro- Sampson.
their country in the United States standing of not just my role as an fessionals with the necessary skills, A Navy destroyer is a multi-mis-
Navy. officer but the CEC as a whole,” knowledge and education to en- sion ship that can operate inde-
“Serving in the Navy means I said Costello, who has a bache- hance lifelong learning and to pro- pendently or as part of a larger
get to serve alongside those who lor’s degree in Environmental En- vide quality support to the fleet. group of ships at sea. The ship is

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