Navy and Marine Corps Relief Society (NMCRS) San Antonio held a ceremony at its local office May 28 to recognize volunteers and donors for the 2015 NMCRS annual fund drive.

The hard-working Navy and Marine Corps volunteer command representatives recognized collected more than $53,000 in donated funds, making it one of the most successful years for the area, said Melissa Bradley, NMCRS Corpus Christi, Texas, director.

Rear Adm. Rebecca McCormick-Boyle, Navy Medicine Education and Training Command (NMETC) commander, was the guest speaker. The event was held at the Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) - Fort Sam Houston office, NMCRS's newest location having opened in January. McCormick-Boyle also helped present a check and hand out awards to the key fund-drive coordinators from the various Navy and Marine Corps commands in the San Antonio area.

"Until you've had to coordinate an event, especially one that involves people opening their wallets, you do not realize how hard a task that is," McCormick-Boyle said, expressing her appreciation for the coordinators' efforts. "That is a tough (volunteer position), and it is one of the most important you can have because it is where we really put our principles to the test."

Navy Medicine Training Support Center (NMTSC) had the largest contributions from any one command in the area, accounting for more than half of the area's total at more than $28,000. NMETC was recognized for having the second most contributions per capita, with about $110 per person on average, as well as being the second most improved over the previous year's contributions, with an increase of $2,784.

"All the money that you guys donated, that you guys collected on our behalf, all of it is turning around and going right back to the center at Joint Base San Antonio and around the world," Bradley said. "But it always goes only to our Sailors and Marines."

Other commands recognized for their efforts were Naval Operational Support Center (NOSC) - San Antonio for having the most contributions per capita, Naval Technical Training Center at JBSA - Lackland for having the most improvement over last year's contributions, and Navy Medicine Information Systems Support Activity (NAVMISSA) for their 'team spirit' in going above and beyond in coordinating several fund raising events for the command.

NMCRS holds an annual fund drive Navy- and Marine Corps-wide from March 1 through April 30 to help financially support the non-profit organization, which provides many areas of assistance to Sailors and Marines including quick assist loans, monetary advising, baby-planning seminars, visiting nurses, and other financial crisis assistance. The donations from the fund drive are primarily collected from key volunteers from the services who help raise awareness within their command or unit.

McCormick-Boyle thanked the area's key volunteers on behalf of those who will benefit from their work.

"There are many people who will not have the chance to look you in the eye and say, 'Thank you. I was able to take care of my family today because you took care of a shipmate.' So, I just want to say thank you."

NMETC is an Echelon 3 flag headquarters command that manages Navy Medicine's formal education and training programs. NMETC, NMTSC and NAVMISSA are all part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of Navy medical professionals around the world who provide high-quality health care to eligible beneficiaries.

Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ships, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.

For more news from Navy Medicine Education and Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.