HM1 Winette Cox

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Winette A. Cox trained 792 volunteers to be sailors as a recruit division commander. Of that number, 63 were meritoriously ad­vanced partly because of her leadership skills, said Capt. John W. Peterson, commanding officer of Navy Recruit Training Command.

Chief Aviation Electronics Technician (AW) Jovan Gates, one of Cox’s colleagues, recalled getting frustrated with a recruit who was having a hard time folding uniforms. Cox calmly pulled the recruit aside and had him try to pick up coins. After watching him struggle, Cox referred him to medical, where he was diagnosed with muscular dystrophy. “She is intuitive, sharp and compassionate,” Gates said.

Cox played a key role in the recruit convalescent program, which had a 95 percent graduation rate. Cox also helped raise more than $300 for nearby Green Bay Elementary School, while spearheading several projects at Saint James High School in Highwood, Ill. She also frequently served as a judge during local junior ROTC drill competitions.