“I am Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (Fleet Marine Force qualified) Oscar J. Torres Ruiz, assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Bremerton.”

Torres Ruiz, from Ponce, Puerto Rico, graduated from Academia Santa Maria in 2007. He enlisted in 2014, and always liked medicine. So, when hospital corpsman was the only job the Military Entry Processing Station offered him, he considered himself lucky.

“I joined to provide a better life for my family,” said Torres Ruiz. “I already had one child and one on the way. Stability was and is, important to me. I’ve been lucky in my career to be placed in great commands with great teams.”

Torres Ruiz, who was awarded Senior Sailor of the Quarter for the second quarter of 2024, is serving as leading petty officer of Patient Administration department and operational forces medical liaison alongside 11 Sailors that work in more than 10 regional programs. As a team they coordinated care for more than 5,300 active duty patients last year alone.

He is also the regional decedent affairs officer that oversees coordinating mortuary arrangements for active duty Sailors that pass away in the region. He also serves as fleet liaison in charge of assisting all operational forces in communicating with the hospital to meet all requirements, such as helping with operational suitability screenings, limited duty case management and integrated disability evaluation system referrals.

Prior to being stationed at NHB he was assigned to Naval Hospital Jacksonville, Florida, Naval Health Clinic Charleston, South Carolina and the 2nd Medical Battalion, Jacksonville, North Carolina. While at 2D MED BN, he deployed as part of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit to England, Greece, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait and Afghanistan.

“My deployment confirmed that you always have to be ready and make sure that you trained until you can’t get it wrong,” said Torres Ruiz, who was entrusted with providing operational medical care while alongside the Marines whether at sea or ashore. “You will either rise or you will fall to the level of your training. It is completely up to you.”

Being selected as senior sailor of the quarter means a lot to Torres Ruiz, “I know that we work hard because it’s the right thing to do. But it is reassuring to also be recognized doing the right thing.”

Torres Ruiz described the best part about his career in Navy Medicine as the opportunity to help people and continue to grow in the field. “It’s been awesome,” he said. “Being a hospital corpsman means you are always making a difference in lives.”

Torres Ruiz also found the stability he and his family needed by serving in Navy Medicine.

“My family went from sleeping on the floor and struggling, to being able to accomplish so many of our dreams,” shared Torres Ruiz.

He also still believes in his luck, “I was given the opportunity to make a direct impact on every patient’s life I provide care of in my career. This makes me very lucky.”

Story originally posted on DVIDS: I am Navy Medicine – HM1 (FMF) Oscar J. Torres Ruiz – stationed at NMRTC Bremerton