Sailor returns home to Belleville for the holidays

BELLEVILLE, NJ — A Belleville native serving in the United States Navy will return home to celebrate the holidays with family.

“The holidays are so special to me,” Petty Officer 3rd Class Jizel Orozco said. “Everyone clears their schedules to make themselves fully available for family time. Every New Year’s Eve, my family and I make sure we are all together to enter the new year together, signifying we will always be there for one another.”

Orozco serves as a hospital corpsman at Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Unit Groton, located in Groton, Ct. 

“Serving in the Navy means having the watch, so every American can sleep peacefully at night,” Orozco said. “I am happy to make the sacrifice so others can go home and feel safe.”

Sailors help maintain America’s advantage at sea. This means they do not always get to celebrate holidays with their loved ones. Orozco is thankful that this year that isn’t the case for her.

“I am grateful for my family’s support as I serve and thank them for their understanding of any sacrifices I’ve had to make,” Orozco said.

Photo Courtesy of Navy Office of Community Outreach

  Christmas, U.S. Armed Forces