NAS LEMOORE, Calif  –   NAS LEMOORE (Oct. 13, 2020) Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Lemoore (NMRTCL) celebrated the U.S. Navy’s 245th birthday with a small ceremony and cake cutting on October 13.

“You are a part of a great organization and you should be proud of that,” Capt. David Breier, NMRTCL’s Commanding Officer said during his remarks. “I am finishing up my career of almost 30 years in the U.S. Navy and I have enjoyed every moment of it. In the future when I step aside, the younger generation will take over and will be ready to forward deploy to protect our great nation and democracy worldwide. Happy birthday United States Navy!”

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Stacie Coursey emceed the event and Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Jacob Santacruz presented the birthday theme of “Victory At Sea” to the command. Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Kevin Farala and Hospitalman Alonzo Vasquez presented the birthday cake. Command Master Chief Eliza Rubic read the 245th Navy Birthday message from the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Mike Gilday.

The Navy’s birthday cake-cutting ceremony is an annual renewal of each Sailor’s commitment to the Navy. The birthday cake is traditionally cut with a sword to remind the sailors they are warriors. The passing of the cake from the oldest sailor to the youngest sailor represents the passing of tradition and experience from the oldest sailor to the youngest.
Chief Hospital Corpsman Tommy Aflague from Guam, received the first piece of cake and passed the second piece of cake to Hospitalman Recruit Reyanna A. Arnette, from Dillon, S.C.

LCDR Angelita Kisena provided both the opening invocation and closing benediction and the ceremony was complete with the playing of Anchors Aweigh, the official song of the Navy. After the cake cutting sailors and staff members were offered individual cupcakes.

Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Lemoore, co-located with Naval Health Clinic Lemoore ensures the readiness of its active duty service members and improves the lives of military families through the delivery of high-quality healthcare to over 18,000 eligible beneficiaries at NAS Lemoore, California and NAS Fallon, Nevada. The command also provides dental care and medical administrative support to Navy, Marine Corps and international students at the Naval Postgraduate School (NPS), Defense Language Institute and the Center for Information Dominance in Monterey, California.