Navy Medicine East (NME) conducted its annual regional Senior Sailor or the Year (SSOY), Junior Sailor of the Year (JSOY), and
Bluejacket of the Year (BJOY) ceremony on Dec. 1, 2016 in Portsmouth, VA.
Petty Officer First Class Alfredo Winter, a Miami native, has been selected as 2016 Sailor of the Year for Naval Medical Environmental Preventive Medicine Unit 5 (NEPMU-5) San Diego, CA.
A 2000 graduate of Robert Morgan Vocational Technical Institute in Miami, he currently is attending Columbia Southern University with a major in Occupational Safety and Health.
Winter is a preventive medicine technician. As a technician, Winter, conducts management of and provides consultation for public health, environmental health, and occupational health programs to keep Navy and Marine Corps personnel and their families healthy.
“It is a truly humbling experience knowing that I was picked for this honor amongst my peers,” Winter said. “It really accentuates the trust my leadership puts in me and more importantly justifies the hard work and dedication of the sailors I have the pleasure of leading and serving with. It is an absolute honor to represent my command in this way because none of this would be possible without everyone’s hard work throughout the year.”
Twenty commands across NME’s eastern hemisphere from Italy and Cuba to Texas and Key West — and its headquarters participated in the annual competition. Navy Medical East (NME) is one of two regional commands which manage Navy Medicine’s global health are network.
NEPMU-5 is a unit attached to Navy Medical East. Its mission is to maximize the readiness of operational forces and Navy Medical Commands within the Pacific region by providing specialized public health support.
“We expect leaders to possess an enduring commitment to excellence and the ability to inspire others to reach outside of the ‘self’ in order to do great things,” said Commander Shelton Lyons, commanding officer. “Petty Officer Winter personifies that level of commitment and he constantly sets the example for others to follow toward success. NEPMU-5 has greatly benefited from Petty Officer Winter’s leadership and we all have high expectations for his future.”
NME’s Command Master Chief Petty Officer Christopher Hill added, ”I want to congratulate our Sailors of the Year and all of the nominees.
They represent Navy Medicine East’s finest sailors. Their passion and dedication exemplify what’s needed to ensure Navy Medicine East continues to provide the best care our nation can offer to sailors, Marines, and their families to keep them healthy, ready, and on the job.”
NME oversees the overall effectiveness and efficiency of the delivery of medical, dental, and other healthcare services to approximately 1 million patients across almost 100 facilities — including the Tidewater Enhanced Multi-Service Market, which brings together U.S. Air Force Hospital Langley and McDonald Army Hospitals.
Serving for 14 years in the Navy, Winter is learning about being a more responsible leader, Sailor and person through handling numerous responsibilities.
“Serving in the Navy has had an amazing impact on my life,” Winter said. “It’s put me in a position to lead Sailors in the support of our country. “I’ve made friends that have become like family. It’s strengthened my resolve through adversity, and allowed me to learn and accomplish things and travel to places that never would have been possible.”
Winter’s mother, Amarilis Winter, and one of two sisters reside in Panama City, Panama. The other sister resides in Miami and his fiancé, Jesseica Wenlet, lives in San Diego.
