PORTSMOUTH, Va. – Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Kirk Bishop was named the Naval Medical Forces Atlantic (MEDLANT) 2021 Sailor of the Year, at a ceremony at MEDLANT, April 15.

“This year’s Naval Medical Forces Atlantic Regional Sailor of the Year competition was extremely competitive as we brought 22 of the best and brightest First Class Petty Officers from the Mississippi to the Middle East,” said Rear. Admiral Darin Via, commander, MEDLANT. “While each and every one of these Sailors should be commended for their noteworthy accomplishments, there can only be one Sailor to represent Naval Medical Forces Atlantic at the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery Sailor of the Year Board.”

Command Master Chief Zachary Pryor was also proud of all participants. “The Sailor of the Year ceremony is a celebration of MEDLANT’s most hard-charging Sailors,” said Pryor. “They represent the best of the best in our Navy and espouse honor, courage, and commitment. This is the best part of my job and I am honored to serve alongside these leaders.”

Bishop is currently assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command (NMRTC) Great Lakes.

Bishop’s nomination package will be forwarded for consideration at the fiscal year 2021 Bureau of Medicine and Surgery’s (BUMED) Sailor of the Year board, where he will compete against other outstanding Sailors throughout BUMED.

“Congratulations to all nominees,” said Pryor. “While there can only be one Sailor of the Year, each of you have taken great initiative to get to this point of your careers, and you should be proud of this journey that has built an even stronger path to your future success.”

The Navy's Hospital Corps consists of more than 30,000 active duty and reserve hospital corpsmen that deploy with Sailors and Marines worldwide, in both wartime and peacetime. The rating is the largest, most professionally diverse, and highly decorated enlisted corps in the Navy.

MEDLANT, headquartered in Portsmouth, Virginia, provides well-trained medical experts, operating as high-performance teams, to project medical power in support of naval superiority. Led by Rear Adm. Darin K. Via, the command ensures the warfighter is medically ready; makes certain medical forces are manned, trained, and equipped to meet the operational mission; and increases the survivability of those who go in harm’s way.