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Staff in the Spotlight - Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jose Duenas

U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

Aug. 4, 2023 | 1:54

“These recruits are entrusted to my care. I will train them to the best of my ability. I will develop them into smartly disciplined, physically fit, basically trained Sailors. I will instill in them, and demonstrate by my own example, the highest standard of Honor, Courage, and Commitment.” These words are recited by every Recruit Division Commander (RDC) C-school class graduation at Recruit Training Command (RTC).

To RDC’s, this is their call to action, an everyday commitment, their creed.

“We only get ten weeks to train them from civilians into Sailors,” said Master-at-Arms 1st Class Jose Duenas, an RDC at RTC. “Every day counts, so I try to use every day to the fullest and train to the best of my abilities.”

While no statement in the RDC creed is more important than the others, Duenas holds the first statement in the highest respect.

“While they're here, at Recruit Training Command, we are overall in charge of their safety. So, we take that very seriously,” said Duenas. “Their safety is number one while here at boot camp. We try our best to make sure nothing happens to them.”

As RDC’s perform the best that they can to keep their recruits safe during their training, Duenas put those words into action with saving a recruit’s life.

“I thought recruits were just playing around and just talking in the galley,” Duenas said. “Sometimes they talk in the galley even though they're not supposed to. So, I went over there to correct them.”

However, he soon realized the recruits were in distress.

“I saw that some of them had put up their hand and called for a training timeout. So, I knew that there was something serious going on.” Duenas said. “That's when the recruit that was choking stood up.”

Duenas immediately recalled the CPR training every RDC goes through.

“The recruit was acting, kind of frantically, moving her arms around, grabbing her neck.” Duenas recollected. “I asked if she was choking. She nodded yes. Then I performed the Heimlich maneuver.”

As an RDC having been trained for these types of situations, Duenas still remembers the feeling of having to actively save a recruit.

“I was a little nervous. I had never actually performed the Heimlich on anyone before. We've been trained to do it, but I've never had to actually do it,” Duenas said. “I just relied on my training and continue to do the process of performing the Heimlich until the large item came out.”