On the shores of the Black Sea, U.S. Navy Hospitalman Oleksandr Ustymenko grew up with a passion for being on the water and at sea. These fond memories and early experiences of blue waves in Ukraine would also be in his future when his family moved to the United States in 2015. 

As an 8th-grade student in a new country with his mother, younger brother, and sister, he initially felt awed and overwhelmed in the place he now calls his hometown: Brooklyn, New York.

It was different from what I was used to. We were in a bigger city which meant there were many different people from a variety of cultures living and interacting together,” reflected Ustymenko. “When I first went to school, I was very anxious because I didn't speak English and wasn't sure how I would be able to go on with my studying and daily interactions.”

He then took an English as a Second Language class that was comprised of a diverse group of people from other countries just like him, where he learned that the best way towards daily interactions was to focus on similarities rather than differences.

“I had a passion for playing chess, so I was able to find people who had the same interest and spent time during our lunch break playing chess with newly made friends,” he said.

After graduating from Midwood High School during the pandemic, colleges in his area were moving towards an online format, which was not an optimal learning environment for him.

“My school went to e-learning and it was not beneficial for me,” explained Ustymenko.  “I hated being in front of the computer the whole day. I felt like I was missing out on interactions with my classmates. Being a competitive person, I also missed competing with others in swimming, weightlifting, and sports in general.” 
 
Instead, he looked to the armed forces for his next opportunity and began speaking to service recruiters. 
 
He was immediately drawn to the Navy because it not only offered the opportunity to get into the medical field, but he would also have the option to train as a dental battalion corpsman. His choice was inspired by his mother.
 
“When it came to choosing what I want to do in the Navy, I thought that working in a familiar field would be the best,” he explained. “My mother is a dentist and I spent a lot of time in her clinic throughout my childhood. I observed her and her staff members’ interactions with patients and saw how thankful her patients were. Having seen the positive impact they had on the lives of others, becoming a dental technician was the choice that stood out the most from the others.”

A New Chapter
In 2020, Ustymenko reported to boot camp at Recruit Training Command Great Lakes in Illinois. He describes his journey as challenging, but ultimately fulfilling through building a solid foundation based on the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment.
 
“Hours of hard teamwork on the cold deck of the USS Arizona instilled discipline in all of us,” he reminisced. “Making a bed every morning and doing daily exercise has become a habit that has not changed in two years. I still remember the pride I felt on that very day we received our ball caps with “US NAVY” printed on them and a handshake from our instructors. The experience taught me infinite lessons, and I do my best to pass those lessons to others/”
 
After bootcamp, he graduated from Basic Corpsman “A” school at Joint Base San Antonio, Texas, followed by Dental Technician “C” school located on the same base.  He took the lessons he learned at boot camp and applied them to his new role at “C” school. 
 
“My first leadership position was as an educational petty officer in “C” school,” explained Ustymenko “With the lessons and guidance of my mentors in mind, I promised myself that not a single person would fail out of the program. I spent time creating study guides, conducting one-on-one review sessions, and writing practice tests to prepare my classmates for knowledge checks throughout the learning period. It was a challenging promise with many sleepless nights, but we all made it through the program. That mission was successfully achieved, but it is not the end.”
 
Upon graduation, he proceeded to his first duty station, Naval Branch Health Clinic (BHC) at Washington Navy Yard (WNY), a satellite clinic under Naval Health Clinic (NHC) Quantico. Within 30 days of reporting, his life would change. 
 
“I don’t see myself outside of the Navy and want to continue serving the Navy as long as possible; to have a lifetime career,” stated Ustymenko to senior enlisted leadership during a Career Development Board (CDB).   
 
CDBs provide an opportunity for senior leadership to get an idea of a Sailor’s goals, career options and available opportunities through a series of questions.
 
“We ask is the person looking at officer programs, what is their previous education, and what do they want to accomplish?” said Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman Ashley Aldeguer, the senior enlisted leader at BHC WNY.
 
Since Ustymenko was interested in higher education – and the U.S. Naval Academy (USNA) from the outset – the CDB looked through his academic records and realized that he also scored very high on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) test.   
 
“My job is to recognize the right individual, a special individual or Sailor and send them up for greater opportunities,” explained Chief Hospital Corpsman Jorge Salas, the lead chief petty officer of the dental department at BHC WNY.
 
Ustymenko fit a very narrow set of criteria that would allow him to apply for the USNA as an enlisted Sailor: be single, be less than 23 years of age, have a good high school record, and have sports or community involvement. Beyond those attributes, one must display academic, physical, and moral excellence. 
 
To Salas, Ustymenko fit the mold and had the extra motivation to apply.  
 
“Not only did HN Ustymenko meet the demographic requirements,” described Salas. “He also excelled in his primary job.” 
 
Getting into USNA is highly competitive with an 8% acceptance rate. For enlisted sailors, there are normally 100 to 120 spots each year for enlisted Sailors, but because of the short timeframe for eligibility, most of those appointments go unfilled.
 
Initially, Ustymenko was hesitant about applying.   
 
“I didn’t know anything about it,” he explained. “I researched it and asked questions to a few good mentors who attended the Naval Academy. Afterwards, I decided it was what I wanted to do and the path I wanted to follow for the rest of my life.”
 
After a period of self-study, Ustymenko took the SATs and scored well. He submitted his application package and waited patiently for the results. Then, on an otherwise normal day at the clinic, the USNA decision arrived by email.
 
Unable to contain his excitement, he burst into Salas’s office shouting his joyous news: “I got it!” He had been accepted to USNA. 

“I’m super-excited; it has been a long-term dream of mine,” he exclaimed.

In applying to USNA, Salas knew that Ustymenko made the right decision. “He will make a great officer!”
 
A Family Affair
While Ustymenko led the way by joining the Navy, his siblings are not far behind. His younger brother, Volodymir, is serving as a culinary specialist aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Roosevelt (DDG 80), which is forward-deployed to Rota, Spain. 
 
According to Ustymenko, his younger brother dreams of becoming a chief petty officer and continuing the Navy's tradition of developing future Sailors. The drive to serve in the military does not end there; their younger sister just started high school and is already looking into applying as a direct entry cadet for both U.S. Naval and Air Force Academies. 
 
“She is highly motivated by our achievements and wants to follow us into the ‘loud people in uniform club’,” described Ustymenko.
 
Destined to Fill the Role
Despite his drive and motivation, Ustymenko displays an uncommon maturity and humility.
 
“I wouldn’t be where I am without all the people I met throughout my naval journey,” he explained. 
 
He expressed gratitude from his first- and second-class petty officers from “C” school who always had that warrior mindset, pushed forward without complaining, and always came up with solutions. He is also thankful to all the chief petty officers and officers who have guided him towards his current path. 
 
“My goal is to bring all the experiences they gave to me back to the officer side – and make the Navy the strongest naval force in the world,” said Ustymenko.
 
As an enlisted Sailor, he will first attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS) in Newport, Rhode Island, this summer. The school is a 10-month program designed to enhance midshipman candidates' moral, mental, and physical foundations to prepare them for success at USNA. At the conclusion of NAPS, he will report to Annapolis for Induction and Plebe Summer.
 
Following graduation from USNA, he plans to attend the U.S. Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island, and to ultimately serve in an operational capacity.
 
“I see myself as a surface warfare officer and eventually commanding a ship,” said Ustymenko.
 
While his journey may have started out as ripples in the Black Sea, he continues following the waves towards his destiny.
 
“He wants to serve his country in a capacity beyond himself,” explained Aldeguer. “He is destined to fill this role.” 
 
If his record to this point is any indication, the seas ahead appear favorable and following.
 
NMRTC Quantico delivers a medically ready naval force by aligning training and resources to meet Navy and Marine Corps operational requirements and provides world-class medical readiness to four clinics within the National Capital Region that includes Naval BHC Washington Navy Yard and NHC Quantico.
 
Navy Medicine – represented by more than 44,000 highly-trained military and civilian health care professionals – provides enduring expeditionary medical support to the warfighter on, below, and above the sea, and ashore.