Wings of Hope honors the Hospital Corpsman Pledge

The military art painting, entitled "The New American Pride," was originally presented to the command by artist Todd Krasovetz at the Hospital Corps Birthday Ball June 18.

In one of his last official duties as command master chief, CMDCM(FMF) Raphael Sanchez removed a curtain from the painting to share it with hospital employees and patients in the hospital's Emergency Room waiting area.

"We are honored to receive this painting," Sanchez said. "There's no more appropriate spot for it to be on display. This waiting room is hallowed ground where we spent many nights waiting for war casualties to arrive."

According to Sanchez, Krasovetz created the painting in honor of not only corpsmen, but all civilians, sailors and Marines in harms ways defending this nation. Krasovetz, whose brother is a hospital corpsman at NHCP, has donated other paintings to the hospital before, best known being "Wings of Hope," which portrays a corpsman giving treatment to an injured Marine in the midst of war.

HM2 Wendy Alexander, who was at the unveiling, said she found the new painting "inspirational."

"I especially like the Marine and corpsman huddling together beneath the wings of the eagle," Alexander said. "The painting really shows the relationship Marines and corpsmen have."

Patient Administration Leading Chief Petty Officer HMC(FMF) Jesus Cerritos said "Displaying this painting here is the very least we can do for our patients. We want them to look at this painting and know that while it's unfortunate that they got hurt, they are serving an important cause, and they mean a lot to us."