The civilian personnel at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point retired in February 2024 after more than 40 years of service to the Marines and Sailors assigned to the installation and beneficiaries in the surrounding community.
Steve Roy concluded his 42-year career as Facilities Maintenance Supervisor at Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point during a celebration held Thursday, Feb. 29, 2024, with family and fellow staff members.
“Whenever someone in naval medicine mentions Naval Hospital or Navy Clinic Cherry Point, the next words immediately become, 'Do you know Steve Roy?' said Capt. Sean Barbavera, the installation's commander. “He became the linchpin of this facility.”
A graduate of Havelock High School and an HVAC mechanic by trade, Roy began his employment at Cherry Point Naval Hospital on August 10, 1982. That year, E.T. was the highest-grossing film in theaters, and the first compact discs were produced in Germany.
The Naval Hospital at MCAS Cherry Point provides full surgical inpatient services for patients and hosts a maternity ward.
Over the next 42 years, Roy served under 19 different commanders at two different facilities and executed facility projects valued at over $60. In 1994, he played a key role in the construction of a new base hospital and the conversion of the facility into a clinic in 2007.
His expertise enabled the clinic to install a reverse osmosis water purification system in 2021 and restore surgical capacity. Roy ensured continuity of surgical services by continually improving sterile procedures and sterile storage.
“With his expertise and tenacity, Mr. Roy quickly made a name for himself and became known as an innovative thinker,” Barbabella said. “His hard work and dedication to his job made him a commanding officer respected by all ranks.”
Roy was known throughout the clinic for both his technical expertise and candor. His duties and responsibilities included coordinating maintenance with civilian personnel and contractors to ensure the facility was running smoothly every day. The humor he wove into his daily interactions and technical recommendations made him affectionately known as “Roy-ism” by his fellow staff and contractors.
“It's been an amazing journey,” Roy said at the ceremony. “There are so many people here now, working here.” [at the clinic] And the quality of the sailors here only improves along with the quality of the sailors. ”
Commander. Kathleen Dugger, Naval Health Clinic Cherry Point administrative director, flew over the clinic that morning and presented Roy with the U.S. flag that had previously been placed throughout the Central Command area.
After the ceremony, Roy completed the final task of his long 42-year career by affixing a metal plate to the clinic's central energy plant dedicating it in his name.
