Navy Medicine Education and Training Command headquartered at Joint Base San Antonio-Fort Sam Houston, Texas, announced its selections for the Instructor of the Year program, April 12.

Following a competitive selection board, Chief Hospital Corpsman Patrick Floyd, representing Navy Medicine Operational Training Center in Pensacola, Florida; Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kadia Griffin, representing Navy Medicine Training Support Center at JBSA-FSH; and Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Jerez Clark, also representing NMTSC; were selected as the instructors of the year.

Floyd is an Independent Duty Corpsman program instructor at the Naval Undersea Medical Institute in Groton, Connecticut, and is the senior IOY. Griffin is a Navy Dental Assistant program instructor at the Medical Education and Training Campus at JBSA-FSH and is the mid-grade IOY. Clark is a Navy Military Training Instructor at NMTSC and is the junior IOY.

The NMETC Instructor of the Year program offers commands the opportunity to recognize Navy Medicine instructors who display exemplary leadership and instructional skills, and who personify the meaning of personal excellence in and out of the classroom.

NMETC Command Master Chief Mitchell Sepulveda reminded NMETC commands of the importance of staff recognition when he initially released the names to the command leadership triads, allowing them to present the award and personally notify their winners.

"Please continue to strive to recognize our top performing instructors, and I appreciate all the assistance from each of you in supporting this program and this process," Sepulveda said in his announcement.

Winners were selected based on their military bearing, strong managerial and leadership skills, positive example, professional appearance, dedication, and self-improvement including off-duty education, community involvement, and mentorship.

Floyd credited his success in part to learning from other instructors.

"I sat through many of the other courses of instruction and have taken what I personally felt the other excellent instructors did very well and tried to incorporate those items," said Floyd. "Also, what worked well for me was to change up how I instructed every class to keep myself and the students fully engaged."

The winners expressed their appreciation for their supportive leadership and overall passion for their roles as instructors.

"As an instructor, you're guiding the students, and it's up to you to get them to the right place," said Clark. "You just have to make sure they're given the right example and that you are teaching them the right material. If you maintain a positive instructor-student rapport, you can lead them in the right direction."

NMETC manages Navy Medicine's logistics, and enlisted and officer education and training programs, supporting personnel who deploy worldwide. NMETC is 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 on the sea 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/