When Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Jorge Castilleja reported to Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Unit (NEPMU) 7, he had no idea how much his contributions to the Unit's public health mission would be felt.

His hard work and dedication culminated in his recent selection as the Commander, U.S. Naval Activities (COMNAVACT) Spain 2014 Senior Service Member of the Year (SMOY), which recognizes Sailors, Soldiers, Airmen and Marines assigned to COMNAVACT Spain and the National Support Elements for excellence in performance, leadership, community involvement, and personal and military appearance.

Castilleja was selected from among 11 senior service members in the paygrades E-5 and E-6 from Naval Station Rota tenant commands.

With his family in attendance, Castilleja was awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal by Capt. Gregory S. Pekari, commander, Naval Activities Spain, as part of the recognition ceremony. A native of Alamo, Texas, Castilleja was both delighted and humbled to be named as the Senior SMOY for 2014.

"It is truly a reflection of the great leaders I have," said Castilleja. "On a constant basis, they are motivating and challenging us to become more of a well-rounded 21st Century Sailor that can succeed at every level."

According to Capt. Juliann Althoff, NEPMU-7's officer-in-charge, Castilleja's performance has been outstanding since he reported aboard the Unit in 2014.

"He is a stellar representative of not only NEPMU-7, but also the Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center (NMCPHC) and Navy Medicine," said Althoff.

Capt. Scott R. Jonson, NMCPHC commanding officer, echoed those sentiments.

"Petty Officer Castilleja embodies everything that's good about our Navy," said Jonson. "It's rare to find someone who comes in, hits the ground running, and makes the kind of impact he has to his command, his shipmates, and the customers he serves. The sky is the limit for this exceptional Sailor."

Castilleja is NEPMU-7's Operations leading petty officer. During a time when the West Africa Ebola outbreak demanded much of his attention, he was still actively involved with Naval Station Rota, sitting on Junior Sailor of the Quarter Boards, engaged as the education officer for the Diversity Committee, sponsoring a family for the guided-missile destroyer USS Porter (DDG 78), and raising money for the community's orphaned children.

Castilleja is a consummate professional who has successfully navigated his career to be eligible for chief petty officer in eight years and dedicated himself to a course of higher education by earning both a bachelor's and master's degree. He is currently working on his second master's degree with plans in the future to attain a doctorate degree, promote to the rank of master chief, and retire to fulfill a lifelong dream of becoming a professor at the University of Texas Pan American in his hometown.

"HM1 ranks amongst the best Sailor's I've served with. He has a well-measured, humble, and very effective leadership style that makes him a formidable powerhouse within NEPMU-7 and the Rota Community," said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman William Hayden, senior enlisted leader at NEPMU-7. "We couldn't be more pleased to see him receive this recognition."

For more news from Navy and Marine Corps Public Health Center, visit www.navy.mil/.