The Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton Mentorship Committee hosted a Mentorship Symposium in the galley meeting room July 21.

The symposium was designed to be interactive with a panel of Senior Enlisted sailors and mustang officers who talked about their careers and answered questions from the junior sailors for nearly an hour. Panel members were Master Chief Petty Officer Steven Hart, hospital corpsman, Lt. j.g. Clara Pangco, medical service corps, Lt. Jose PonceVega, medical service corps, and Chief Petty Officer Richard McCollough, hospital corpsman.

Besides 50 junior sailors attending in person, others participated via VTC from the 21 and 52 Area Branch Health Clinics on Camp Pendleton and from the Yuma and Port Hueneme Naval Branch Health Clinics.

"For every successful individual, there is someone who had real positive influences in his or her life," said Chief Petty Officer Geffrey McPike, hospital corpsman, Command Mentorship Advisor and master of ceremonies for the event. "The goal of the event was to not only give sailors and opportunity to ask career based questions from the experienced panel, but to also stress the importance of having a mentor."

After the panel discussion, food was served and more information was passed as everyone talked with members of CSADD, SAPR, JEA, SCPOA, FCPOA, DEFY and USMAP who all had set up information tables.

Anyone without a mentor is encouraged to see their departmental mentorship coordinator or Petty Officer 1st Class Jane Lynn Borja, hospital corpsman at (760) 719-3754 or Chief McPike at (760) 763-2403.\

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