Naval Munitions Command Sailor Selected for Armed Forces Swim Team

By Mark O. Piggott, Naval Weapons Station Yorktown Public Affairs

SIGONELLA, Italy (NNS) -- A Sailor assigned to Naval Munitions Command (NMC) Detachment Sigonella, Italy, was selected as a member of the 2010 Armed Forces Swimming Team after 2010 CISM World Military Swimming/Lifesaving Championship, Aug. 22-30, in Warendorf, Germany.

Aviation Ordnanceman 2nd Class (SW/AW) Lisa E. Broadfield, command career counselor, was one of 16 service members that represented the U.S. Armed Forces at championship.

"I was very excited to receive the message and honored to be considered to compete among some of the Armed Forces best athletes," Broadfield said. "I am looking forward to the training as well as the experience." Broadfield, 31, a native of East Haven, Conn., joined the Navy in January 2004. She has been swimming competitively since she was 6 years old, through high school and into college at Southern Connecticut State University.

"The only time I had to take some time off from swimming was during my deployments when I was stationed on the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)," she said.

Outside her duties at NMC Det. Sigonella, Broadfield volunteers as a swimming coach for the MWR Sigonella Swordfish, swimming team on base. The team is comprised of 45 children, ages 5-17. Broadfield spends about 10 hours per week coaching the children. In addition, she has an intensive training regiment, even for an avid swimmer.

"I swim every morning at 6 a.m., and every afternoon, about three. four hours a day," she said. "I try to swim about 40,000-55,000 meters each week depending on what type of race I'm training for."

"She (Broadfield) dedicated numerous off duty hours, completing a vigorous training regiment in preparation for this event, always putting her job and the Navy first," said Chief Gunner's Mate (SW/AW) Eric M. Williams, senior enlisted leader for NMC Det. Sigonella.

"Her selection to the swim team doesn't surprise me at all. She represents both Navy Munitions Command and Navy Air Station Sigonella very well."

The team trained at the U.S. Naval Academy before heading out to Germany for the World Championship. Broadfield is no stranger to competition.

"I am a long distance and marathon swimmer," Broadfield added. "The shortest open water race I've competed in was a 5k and the longest 36k. I love being in the open ocean! I have always loved being a pool swimmer, but it's nice to be diverse and enjoy the sport from all angles."

Broadfield has a Bachelor of Science degree in Recreational Health and Science from Southern Connecticut State University. She is currently working on her Masters Degree Developmental and Organizational Psychology online through Walden University.

The next step in her Navy career is a transfer to doing the thing she loves - swimming. "As much as I love the aviation ordnance world, I've had my heart set on being a search and rescue swimmer since I joined the Navy," she said. "I will be moving on from this community to the aviation warfare systems operator (AW) rating this October. My heart is in the sea."

Broadfield has applied for the Officer Selection Programs, to join the surface warfare community and work as a human resources and training officer.

At the 2010 CISM World Military Swimming/Lifesaving Championships, Broadfield qualified in the top eight in four events: the 200-, 400- and 800-meter freestyle and the 200-meter butterfly. Her best finish was 4th place in the 800-meter freestyle.