The USS Makin Island (LHD 8) Medical Department earned the annual health promotion and wellness award “Green H” on June 2.

Makin Island has earned this award 11 times since the amphibious assault ship was commissioned in 2009.

Earning the award is vital to the ship’s readiness. According to Lt. Paul Heyliger, Makin Island’s medical administration officer, it signifies that Makin Island’s medical department is doing its part to keep the ship’s crew mission ready.

“We have to have a robust tobacco cessation program, we have to do various health awareness events, and we do things to just generally promote a healthy, successful Makin Island,” said Heyliger.

He used the “Go for Green” initiative on the mess decks as another example of a program the ship has to keep its Sailors healthy. The program offers nutritional information on the food served and aims to make sure Sailors have healthy or green options available to them at every meal.

“The main thing is just keeping the programs going,” he said. “We need to have the choice to be healthy. Wherever any type of health risk exists, we need to identify it and make sure there is a healthy alterative for Makin Island Sailors.”

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