Navy Medicine Operational Training Center Awarded NAS Pensacola Captain's Cup

From Navy Medicine Operational Training Center Public Affairs

PENSACOLA, Fla. (NNS) -- For the second consecutive year, service members attached to the U.S. Navy's recognized global leader in operational medical and aviation survival training were awarded the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Captain's Cup Championship Trophy during a ceremony Feb. 11 at the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute (NAMI) auditorium.

Navy Medicine Operational Training Center (NMOTC) Commanding Officer Capt. James Norton received the award from NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Keith Hoskins.

"The local NMOTC family [NAMI, the Naval Survival Training Institute (NSTI) and the Aviation Survival Training Center (ASTC)] have always been active participants in base activities," Norton said. "For these Sailors to be recognized as the base-wide champions two years in a row is an amazing accomplishment."

The Captain's Cup is a series of command team competition, individual sporting events, leagues and tournaments held aboard NAS Pensacola. Participants receive points for taking part in various events as well as points for the order in which they finish. Points are totaled at the end of the calendar year.

Norton said a command's receipt of the Captain's Cup Trophy showcases their willingness to work together as a team.

"I'm a strong believer that winning the Cup was an all-hands evolution," he said. "Participation for Captains Cup is extremely important for commands because it brings Sailors together. Not only do these Sailors get to be involved in something, but it brings our families closer together."

Norton also said that while the nature of the Captain's Cup remains competitive, the concept of command sporting contests reinforces the idea of the commonalities service members share.

"The Captain's Cup Program provides men and women in the military something to help break the grind of their everyday work," he said. "This allows them to participate with their shipmates in enjoyable but competitive sports, and with 24 sports to choose from, several people on base identify with certain sports and participate."

NAS Pensacola Captain's Cup Sports this year included: basketball, swimming, softball, flag football, soccer, tennis, golf, bowling, billiards, darts and a paintball tournament.

While there is no prize - save bragging rights by the winning command - the trophy is displayed at the winning command throughout the year and returned to MWR Sports at the end of the Captain's Cup Season for presentation to the next winner. However, if a command wins the trophy three years in a row, they're permitted to keep the award.

Norton said the NMOTC efforts towards the NAS Pensacola Captain's Cup are indicative of the continued efforts NMOTC staff always employs.

"What these Sailors organized is truly outstanding, and to have it result in being recognized as the winning command on a base as large as NAS Pensacola really shows the amount of work, dedication and perseverance they put forth," he said. "These Sailors - and the dozens of others who work every day at jobs which are critical to the naval aviation mission - found a way to involve the command in a fun and challenging series of events, and I couldn't be more proud of these young men and women and the whole of NMOTC."

NMOTC, the recognized global leader in operational medical and aviation survival training, reports to Navy Medicine Education and Training Command (NMETC), which manages Navy Medicine's formal enlisted and officer education and training programs, medical operational training for medical and medical support personnel deploying worldwide, and training that prepares aviators and flight crews to survive in land and water mishaps.

NMOTC and NMETC are all part of the Navy Medicine team, a global health care network of Navy medical professionals around the world who provide high-quality health care to more than 1 million eligible beneficiaries. Navy Medicine personnel deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, providing critical mission support aboard ships, in the air, under the sea and on the battlefield.