Meet NMRTC Twentynine Palms Sailor of the 3rd Quarter: Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Courtlynn Stinson

BRIDGEPORT, Calif. — Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Courtlynn Stinson, an X-ray technician assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Detachment Bridgeport, was selected as Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command Twentynine Palms Sailor of the Quarter for the third quarter of 2026.

A Mobile, Alabama, native, Stinson serves as an X-ray technician as well as the detachment’s training petty officer, records petty officer and morale petty officer. She also continues to develop her general duty corpsman skills by seeing patients alongside the detachment’s physician assistant twice a week as she works toward her goal of attending physician assistant school.

Her responsibilities make for days that can shift quickly between patient care, diagnostic imaging, equipment troubleshooting and administrative duties.

“My daily routine is incredibly dynamic,” Stinson said. “I can go from troubleshooting diagnostic equipment to shooting X-rays, seeing clinic patients and developing new initiatives to streamline our workflow.”

Stinson said the close-knit team at Bridgeport has been an important part of her success since arriving at the detachment in Aug. 2024.

“I am surrounded by an incredible Navy family here in Bridgeport that keeps me grounded,” Stinson said. “They always have my back, keep me focused and inspire me to keep pushing the envelope.”

Diagnostic imaging plays an important role in identifying injuries and helping service members receive appropriate treatment. Stinson recently helped resolve a longstanding issue involving the clinic’s X-ray system and RadNet, restoring the workflow used to process diagnostic imaging.

Stinson credited the MHS GENESIS and RadNet teams, along with colleagues who supported the effort, for helping resolve the issue.

For Stinson, supporting readiness has also meant stepping outside her normal assignment. During a one-year temporary additional duty assignment to Naval Hospital Twentynine Palms, she helped provide CT and X-ray coverage while the department faced a manning shortage.

Stinson said the experience strengthened her confidence as a healthcare professional and gave her another team of mentors and colleagues who continue to support her.

“Twentynine Palms became my second home,” Stinson said. “It is the place that truly built my confidence in my clinical capabilities.”

While Stinson takes pride in the technical side of her work, she said one of the most rewarding parts of her career is helping junior Sailors see what they can accomplish.

Stinson advanced several ranks within three years of joining the Navy, an experience she hopes can encourage Sailors beginning their own careers.

“The most rewarding part of my career is showing my junior Sailors that there are no ceilings in the Navy,” Stinson said. “Making E-5 in three years has given me a platform to lead by example.”

One experience that holds particular significance for Stinson was helping lead the detachment’s Hospital Corps birthday celebration. During the event, she helped coordinate the participation of family members of a Medal of Honor recipient for whom the Bridgeport clinic is named, Hospitalman Richard D. DeWert, who received the Medal of Honor for his heroic, selfless actions during the Korean War.

“Bridging the gap between our legendary past and our present-day mission was incredibly profound,” Stinson said. “It reminded all of us of the sacred weight of the caduceus we wear.”

Stinson joined the Navy to serve a purpose larger than herself while building a foundation for a career in medicine. She said serving as both an X-ray technician and general duty corpsman has provided opportunities to expand her clinical knowledge while contributing directly to patient care and operational readiness.

“I joined the Navy to serve a purpose larger than myself and to build a robust foundation in medicine,” Stinson said. “Navy Medicine has given me more opportunities than I could have ever imagined.”

Military service also runs in Stinson’s family. While she comes from what she describes as a large military family, she is the only member serving in the Navy.

Outside of work, Stinson enjoys self-care, coffee and taking drives in her car.

Stinson said being named Sailor of the Quarter is meaningful not only because of the work behind the recognition, but because of the people who helped her along the way.

“This recognition is not mine alone,” Stinson said. “It is a testament to the phenomenal mentors who have guided me, believed in my drive and helped me navigate my career milestones.”

She hopes the recognition reinforces a lesson she shares with junior Sailors: take ownership, look for solutions and do not allow rank or existing processes to limit what can be improved.

“Never let the current state of a clinical workflow, a piece of broken equipment or your current paygrade limit your vision,” Stinson said. “Be the problem solver. If you see an obstacle that has been holding the clinic back for years, take the initiative to fix it. Lean on your mentors, take care of your peers and never lose sight of the fact that we are here to support the warfighters who rely on us to keep them in the fight.”

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