Originally created Thursday, February 28, 2008
McNair retires with 24 years service
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McNair was born in Homerville, Ga., in 1965. He joined the Navy in April 1984 after graduating from Clinch County High School. After attending recruit training at Recruit Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill., he attended Basic Hospital Corpsman (HM) School at Navy Training Center, Great Lakes, Ill. Upon completion of HM "A" School, he received orders to the Field Medical Service School at Camp Lejeune, N.C.
His first assignment was at Naval Hospital Beaufort, S.C. as the senior corpsman of the Intensive Care Unit. In 1985, he transferred to First Marine Division, Camp Pendleton, Calif. While there, he was assigned to First Battalion, First Marines Division, Scout Sniper Platoon and Third Battalion, First Marine Division were he made two deployments on board USS Vancouver (LPD-2) and USS Belleau Wood (LHA-3).
HMCS(AW/FMF) Bryce McNair presents his wife, Gloria with a special gift as their daughters, Mia, left, and Miniya look on.
His next tour took him to Second Marine Aircraft Wing, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C., as aeromedical safety corpsman in September 1993. McNair was then selected to fill the position of aeromedical safety corpsman for Marine Aircraft Group Eleven (MAG-11), Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif. in December 1995.
"I think being at MAG-11 was my most memorable tour. At MAG-11, I was involved in several fleet assessments of survival equipment which had wide impact on the Navy and Marine Corps," said McNair. "I also had a chance to meet and work with Brig. Gen. Charles Bolden, Jr., a former NASA astronaut.
In May 1998, McNair reported to Naval Hospital Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. In September 1999, he was promoted to chief petty officer and served as the directorate chief of the Directorate of Nursing Services.
McNair returned to the west coast in July 2000, when he reported to Naval Survival Training Institute, Detachment West, Aviation Survival Training Center Lemoore, Calif. as the leading chief petty officer. In April 2002, he was selected for advancement to senior chief petty officer.
In May 2004,he reported as a student to the Defense Equal Opportunity Management Institute Equal Opportunity Advisor Course. Upon completion, McNair reported to NAS Jacksonville where he served as the command's equal opportunity advisor.
According to McNair being selected for chief petty officer was by far his greatest accomplishment during his naval career. "Being selected for chief was my most memorable achievement. Even though making senior chief was nice, there wasn't as much of a noticeable difference in the amount of respect and responsibility placed on you when you become the 'chief,'" McNair said, reminiscing. "As for being a naval hospital corpsman, I'll never forget when I helped save the life of a 14-year-old boy who had stopped breathing. His parents brought him into the clinic at NAS Cecil Field when there was no medical officer available. We were able to stabilize him until the fire department showed up to transport him."
"I am really going to miss the camaraderie of the chief's mess and the Navy overall. I can't think ofanother organization where people are so willing to help one another and welcome you into their family. I've seen Sailors loan cars to newly reporting Sailor at overseas location until their cars arrived. I've seen Sailorsopen up their homes during the holidays to make sure junior Sailors have a place to go for Thanksgiving or Christmas," McNair stated.
"I can't think of any time I have checked into a command where the command didn't go out of their way to make me feel welcome."
McNair is married to the former Gloria Denise Evans and they have two children, Mia and Miniya. They will continue to reside in Jacksonville.
"I plan to finish my degree with Southern Illinois University and find a job as an equal opportunity specialist," he said.
