As Naval Medical Center San Diego (NMCSD) celebrates Martin Luther King Jr. (MLK) Day, one Corpsman has long been honoring Dr. King and abiding by his vision of strengthening the values of the communities we serve for the betterment of all people.
“With a family legacy of military service dating to the time of my grandparents, it was instilled in me from an early age the importance of service to our community,” said Hospital Corpsman First Class Jameka Jackson, NMCSD Critical Care Nursing leading petty officer and NMCSD Diversity Committee chairman. “Carrying this legacy as a military member has been a natural progression for me, and one that is fundamentally an honor to fulfill as it bestows upon you with nothing but personal and professional satisfaction.”
Jackson, a Bossier City, La. native, recalls her earliest community involvement with Barksdale Air Force Base as part of her high school’s Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps (AFJROTC) program.
“As I grew up I always wanted to serve in the military and my high school — Parkway High School [Bossier City] — offered an opportunity I couldn’t resist through their AFROTC program. My involvement in ROTC reinforced my calling to service for our communities, military, and nation,” expressed Jackson.