Master Chief Raina Hockenberry

Master Chief Raina Hockenberry currently serves on board the Hawaii-based guided-missile cruiser Port Royal and is a renowned warrior athlete.

Master Chief Hockenberry was serving as a personnel specialist in Kabul, Afghanistan when a rogue gunman opened fire on her and her trainees, wounding the 41-year-old in her tibia, groin and stomach. During her recovery from her wounds, the Navy was ready to medically retire her, but Hockenberry couldn’t bear the thought of leaving the Navy. She asked for a laptop while at Walter Reed Medical Center so that she could get back to work. 

Master Chief Hockenberry regularly competes in the Warrior Games, an athletic competition that brings wounded, sick, and injured U.S. troops together across a variety of events. She has won eight gold medals and set four swimming records last year. Additionally, she also traveled to Sydney, Australia, to take part in the Invictus Games. In recognition of her resilience and grit, Master Chief Hockenberry was named the Sailor of the Year at the annual Service Members of the Year Award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on July 10th, 2019.