Portsmouth, VA  –   Naval Medical Center Portsmouth (NMCP) Branch Health Clinic Oceana petty officers receive Navy Achievement Medals (NAMs) for assisting a motorcycle-accident victim.

Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Petty Officer Nathaniel Bennet and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Petty Officer Taylor Scott were given the NAMs by Capt. Shelley Perkins, NMCP’s commanding officer, Jan. 7.

On Nov. 18, 2021, as the two hospital corpsman were returning to the base in a command duty vehicle, they saw an individual who had been in a motorcycle accident laying in the median of the road outside of the Oceana clinic. “I stopped the vehicle so that HM3 Scott could start to render aid,” said Bennet, driver of the duty vehicle. He then parked on the street and turned on the hazard lights so other vehicular traffic would steer clear of the area.

Bennett said that he asked another individual who stopped to assist to contact the base’s Emergency Services and request immediate assistance.
“We directed a junior Sailor to run to the clinic to get one of the Clinic’s aid bags in order to render care to the patient,” said Bennet. “HM3 Scott began a thorough head to toe assessment of the patient identifying multiple critical injuries.”

As soon as the base Emergency Services arrived on the scene, Scott and Bennett were able to do a patient turnover with the EMTs, ensuring that all of the injuries and patient information they had received was clearly communicated.

For their ability to quickly respond to an individual in need of medical care, the two were given the awards as recognition for a job well done.

As the U. S. Navy's oldest, continuously-operating hospital since 1830,
Naval Medical Center Portsmouth proudly serves past and present military members and their families. The nationally acclaimed, state of the art medical center, including its ten Branch Health and TRICARE Prime clinics, serves the Hampton Roads area and additionally offers premier research and teaching programs designed to prepare new doctors, nurses and hospital corpsmen for future roles in healing and wellness.