HMCS Gary Cherry Jr
Senior Enlisted Leader, USS ARLINGTON LPD-24
22 October 2024
Gary Cherry Jr. is a native of Staten Island, New York. He arrived at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, Illinois on 12 July, 2000. Upon graduation from RTC he attended the Hospital Corpsman (HM) Basic "A" School, Great Lakes, Illinois.
Graduating in January 2001 he began his HM career with orders to Naval Hospital, Okinawa, Japan. It was there where he was selected to Third Class Petty Officer. Motivated by the historic events that took place on September 11, 2001, he selected orders to Second Marine Division, with every intent on deploying in direct support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
Petty Officer Cherry then went to Field Medical Service School (FMSS), Camp Johnson, North Carolina to become a “FMF Corpsman”. Upon graduation from FMSS, he checked onboard to 2D Tank Battalion, 2D Marine Division, 2D Marine Expeditionary Forces. HM3 Cherry was selected as Company “A” senior line Corpsman. While assigned in the role, he successfully completed a combat deployment in support of OIF to include the historic Operation Al Fajir, Fallujah Iraq. Upon redeployment he was nominated for the 2D Marine Division Outstanding Hospital Corpsman Award for his actions while deployed. After multiple other operations he submitted his package for Surface Force Independent Duty Corpsman “C” School (SFIDC).
Shortly after being selected to attend the school, he checked in to Naval School of Health Sciences, San Diego 17 August 2007, leaving his wife Yohanna behind to complete her last tour of duty as an Active Duty Sailor. After graduating with Honors, he was meritoriously advanced to HM1. HM1 Cherry then took follow on orders to Naval Medical Center San Diego, Branch Medical Clinic, MCRD San Diego, where he served as 1st Battalion, SFIDC and LPO.
Following his tour at MCRD, he served at Naval Hospital Camp Lejeune, where excelled as a Leading Petty Officer, SFIDC, Sick Call Screener Program Manager, and IDC Program Manager. It was there when he also completed an OEF deployment with MAGTF Support Battalion, 2D Medical Battalion, Alpha Surgical Company, where he led a shock trauma platoon in direct support of 1
st Battalion 5
th Marine Regiment in Sangin District, Helmand Providence, Afghanistan.
In August 2012 HM1 Cherry reported to USS NITZE (DDG 94) as the ship’s Independent Duty Corpsman. Under his direction the ship was awarded the Green “H” for three consecutive years. It was there that he was selected to Chief Hospital Corpsman. After the shipboard duty, HMC Cherry reported as the Leading Chief Petty Officer and Senior SFIDC of II Marine Expeditionary Forces, II MEF Headquarters Group. Upon completion of another, “greenside” tour, he reported to the Afloat Training Group-Norfolk, where he was successful in every aspect of the command’s mission while obtaining Afloat Training Specialist, Master Training Specialist, and FSO-M Warfare Trainer of the Year.
He checked onboard USS ARLINGTON (LPD 24) in September 2021.
HMCS Cherry obtained an Associates in Applied Sciences from Thomas Edison State University, is an SEA Graduate, (class 239 GOLD), Executive Medical Department Enlisted Course, and is currently pursuing his Bachelors of Science in Health Science Technology. His personal awards include the Navy Commendation Medal (3
rd award), Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (
7th award), various campaign awards, Enlisted Fleet Marine Force Warfare Specialist (GCE and LCE), and Enlisted Surface Warfare Specialist.