Navy family proud of commitment to service
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Navy Master Chief Petty Officer Choi Sang-sung, center, poses with his family members and relatives at Gyeryongdae military headquarters in South Chungcheong Province, in this Sept. 29 file photo. From left are Chief Petty Officer Jo In-bae, Chief Petty Officer Lee Hee-kyung, Petty Officer Second Class Choi Young-ung, the elder Choi, Petty Officer Second Class Choi Ye-joo, Chief Petty Officer Baek Sang-hoon and Chief Petty Officer Choi Jung-soo. / Courtesy of the Navy
By Kang Seung-woo
A family is drawing attention as it has seven petty officers of the Navy.
Since Choi Sang-sung, master chief petty officer working at the Service Support Corps in Gyeryongdae military headquarters, began the “proud“ pedigree, joining the Navy in 1983. Others are his two children, Petty Officer Second Class Choi Young-ung, his 22-year-old son, and Petty Officer Second Class Choi Ye-joo, 21-year-old daughter; two nephews, Chief Petty Officer Baek Sang-hoon and Chief Petty Officer Choi Jung-soo; his niece Chief Petty Officer Lee Hee-kyung and her husband, Jo In-bae, who is also chief petty officer.
During his 31-year military career, the 52-year-old was awarded by the defense minister in 2005 for his efforts to seek transparency in food supply contract and earned a master’s degree in social work at Daejeon University in 2008. He has also received various licenses including industrial engineer information processing.
Touched by the way his father tried so hard, his son, Young-ung, became a Navy in September last year.
“When I applied to join the Navy, I dreamed of reporting for duty with my father,“ said the son, who also works at the Navy headquarters in Gyeryongdae in South Chungcheong Province.
“It finally became a dream come true.“
His daughter, Ye-joo, became a Navy in March after studying law at Paichai University in Daejeon following her father and brother.
“There are family members and relatives in the Navy, which motivates me a lot,“ said the daughter, who has been assigned to the 7,600-ton Aegis destroyer Yulgok Yi Yi since May.
With his two children starting the Navy career of late, the master chief petty officer said he feels a lot of pressure to set a good example for his family.
“I will try my best to help and motivate each other to live up to expectations,“ said Choi Sang-sung.
The seven petty officers have served a combined 75 years for the Navy, but they had yet to meet all together ― even on national holidays ― due to various places of duty before the Armed Forces Day on Oct. 1.
Considering their situations, Navy Chief of Staff Gen. Hwang Ki-chul ordered all seven members to participate in a rehearsal for the Armed Forces Day at Gyeryongdae, home to all military branches.
“The Choi family’s commitment to the nation has become an example to the Navy,“ Hwang said.