Senior Enlisted Leader

Senior Chief Petty Officer (FMF/SW/AW) Ignacio Garciavega 
Senior Enlisted Leader
U.S. Naval Medical Research Unit SOUTH
Callao, Peru

Senior Chief Petty Officer Ignacio Garciavega enlisted in the United States Navy on June 30, 2003, and graduated from Recruit Training Command Great Lakes, Illinois in September. Following completion of RTC, he attended Basic Engineering Common Core.  His first duty station was the USS BONHOMME RICHARD (LHD-6), San Diego, CA. He was assigned to the engineering department from October 2003 to December 2004, where he deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. In December 2004 he received orders to EM “A” School and after graduation in July 2005, he was assigned to USS NIMITZ (CVN-68), Coronado Island, CA. Engineering Department. He was advanced to Petty Officer Third Class in June 2006. While assigned to CVN-68 he completed two Western Pacific/Arabian Gulf Deployments in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom, where he earned his Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist (ESWS) and Enlisted Air Warfare Specialist (EAWS) in 2007.

After serving as an Engineer for four years, Garciavega crossed-rate to the Hospital Corpsman rate and in July 2007, he attended HM “A” school, followed by Advanced Medical Laboratory Technician “C” school where he was promoted to Petty Officer Second Class in June 2009. In July 2009, he transferred to Naval Branch Health Clinic Dam Neck Ancillary Services Department as Assistant Leading Petty Officer, where he was selected as Junior Sailor of the Year FY11.

In September 2013 he reported to FMSS Camp Lejeune for Field Medical Service Technician School. In October 2013 he reported to 2nd MED BN, 2nd MLG, Camp Lejeune, NC. He was assigned to Bravo Surgical Company as Leading Petty Officer where he was promoted to Petty Officer First Class in December 2013. He deployed with Combat Logistic Battalion 6 (CLB-6) EOD team in support of SPMAGTF-CR-AF 16.1 in December 2015 where he earned his Logistics Combat Element, Enlisted Fleet Marine Forces Warfare Specialist (EFMFWS).

In November 2016, he was assigned to NMRTU Little Creek, Virginia Beach, VA. as Laboratory and Pharmacy Acting Leading Chief Petty Officer. He deployed in September 2017 in support of Hurricane Maria Disaster Relief Mission onboard USNS COMFORT (T-AH20) and CP-18 in February 2018 onboard USNS SPEARHEAD (T-EPF-1) in support of SOUTHCOM and DESRON 40 AOR.  He was selected as NMRTU Little Creek’s FY20 and FY21 Senior Sailor of the Year and promoted to Chief Petty Officer.

In March 2021 he was assigned 1ST MAW Okinawa Japan as MACG-18, Medical Department Senior Enlisted Advisor (SEA) where he supported multiple operations to include RESOLUTE DRAGON, BALIKATAN and RYUKYU SHIELD in the INDOPACOM AOR, where he earned his Air Combat Element, Enlisted Fleet Marine Forces Warfare Specialist (EFMFWS).

Garciavega received a BSHS in Clinical Management and Leadership on January 10, 2020, from George Washington University and completed his M.S Healthcare Management degree from The Florida Institute of Technology on July 30, 2022. He graduated from the Senior Enlisted Academy, class 262 (Orange) on May 25, 2023. Garciavega is currently assigned to NAMRU SOUTH as Command Senior Enlisted Leader.

His personal decorations include the EFMFWS, ESWS, and EAWS designations, Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2), and various unit and campaign awards.