MCAS Cherry Point  –   A Sailor serving aboard Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point received recognition for her dedication to the Carteret community in a ceremony conducted Friday, January 7.

Petty Officer 3rd Class Natassia Martinez, RT (R), received the Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal in recognition for her dedication to the Carteret County Human Society and the Carteret Big Clean Sweep.

Martinez, a native of Murrieta, California, serves as a Radiologic Technologist aboard Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point and enjoys the opportunity to serve the Eastern NC community through work benefitting animals.

“Pick an event that interests you,” says Martinez to her fellow Sailors about beginning to volunteer. A Sailor’s skillset is a great asset to many organizations who help those in need in the Eastern NC region she continued.

She specifically chose the help animals in the region because it helps her relieve stress while providing an opportunity for her to focus on a single event and task amidst a busy workweek assisting patients at the clinic.

“I’m an introvert,” says Martinez. Volunteering with various organizations expands her skillset and exposes her to situation she does not often encounter working in Radiology she continued.