MILLINGTON, Tenn. – Petty Officer 1st Class Kevin Martinez, a native of Bandera, Texas, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Naval Construction Battalion (NCB) 14, which is participating in Baltic Operations (BALTOPS) 2025 in northeastern Europe. This multi-national exercise runs from June 5 to 20.
Martinez graduated from Bandera High School in 2005. Additionally, Martinez graduated from Full Sail University in Orlando, Florida, with a Master of Fine Arts in Film.
Martinez joined the Navy 16 years ago. Today, Martinez serves as a builder.
“All of the men in my family are prior service,” Martinez said. “I wanted to be a mechanic, but my family couldn’t afford it. I realized that college was quite expensive, and that serving was a good option for me to pursue my education and eventually attend college.”
Since joining the Navy, Martinez has learned many skills that help them succeed.
“Working on a ranch before coming into the Navy instilled a strong work ethic in me,” Martinez said.
BALTOPS 25 is the premier maritime-focused annual military exercise in the Baltic region and provides a unique opportunity to strengthen warfighting readiness and combat credibility critical to deterrence and preserving safety and security in the Baltic Sea. BALTOPS sharpens U.S. maritime readiness and offers opportunities to train and test emerging capabilities that will enhance our ability to protect the homeland and integrate with our allies for the collective defense of Europe.
Martinez has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.
“Right now, my proudest accomplishment is making the rank of petty officer first class,” Martinez said. “I had passed but not advanced for 12 cycles. It took me leaving my last battalion, where I was given the right opportunities, to be meritoriously advanced to first class.”
Participating nations include Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Sweden, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Martinez serves a Navy that operates far forward, around the world and around the clock, promoting the nation’s prosperity and security.
With 90% of global commerce traveling by sea and access to the internet relying on the security of undersea fiber optic cables, Navy officials continue to emphasize that the prosperity of the United States is directly linked to recruiting and retaining talented people from across the rich fabric of America.
“Serving in the Navy is a way for me to give back,” Martinez said. “There’s a sense of pride in being a part of something bigger. Not everyone has the opportunity to travel the world, and I’m thankful to give back to my country and others.”
Martinez is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.
“I want to thank my immediate family and my sisters, Bethany and Alena,” Martinez added. “I just became an uncle in April.”