Myka Green, a military spouse and future physician, received the November 2025 Red Cross Volunteer of the Month award for San Diego and Imperial counties. Her work with the Services to the Armed Forces program at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton supports service members, veterans, and families through office assistance, emergency follow-ups, and health program outreach. This recognition highlights how personal commitment drives humanitarian aid within military communities.
Roots in Military Service Fuel Red Cross Dedication
As the spouse of an active-duty Marine and daughter of a U.S. Navy veteran, Green reconnected with the American Red Cross earlier this year to deepen her community involvement. She attended UC Berkeley tuition-free thanks to her father's service and trained as a medical assistant via a military spouse scholarship. "Giving back to this community is very meaningful to me," Green said. "Volunteering with the Red Cross, especially the SAF, feels like an impactful way to pay that forward."
Green first engaged with the Red Cross in 2014 during a summer break, volunteering with the Japanese Red Cross in Japan. She promoted blood donations at train and subway stations and interned in blood processing centers. The organization's global reach and humanitarian reputation drew her in. "The Red Cross and Red Crescent are truly ubiquitous, offering support to communities around the world," she noted. Her background positions her perfectly for SAF, which delivers critical services like emergency messaging and deployment resources to armed forces personnel and families.
Multifaceted Roles Strengthen Hospital and Family Support
Green serves multiple shifts weekly in the Patient Relations Department at Naval Hospital Camp Pendleton, aiding service members, families, and veterans. She supports the Red Cross Medical Professional Volunteer team, informs hospital departments about SAF behavioral health programs, deployment readiness, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) opportunities. Fellow volunteers praised her in the nomination: "As both a military spouse and future physician, Myka brings empathy and professionalism to every interaction."
Her contributions include onboarding the WIC program at the hospital and providing emergency support to military families. Twice weekly, she handles office tasks; she also joins base events to promote WIC, follows up on Hero Care Center emergency messages, and participates in outreach like Sound the Alarm and Save a Life for emergency preparedness. These efforts build partnerships and address gaps in understaffed departments, reflecting the Red Cross's century-long role in bolstering military resilience since World War I.
Aspiring Physician Finds Purpose in Tangible Impact
Recently accepted to medical school, Green aims to serve as a physician in the military community. Her hospital volunteer work reveals shortages of professional volunteers, motivating her to continue with the Red Cross and return as a volunteer doctor. A defining moment came at a spousal resource event, where a woman described how Red Cross emergency messaging enabled her husband's leave during deployment and how WIC aided her family. "Hearing firsthand how the projects I was involved in had a tangible, meaningful impact was incredibly rewarding," Green said.
She values the organization's vast opportunities and passionate volunteers. Green credited supervisor Angela Fie for guiding her toward roles matching her goals. To prospective volunteers, she recommends joining: "The Red Cross offers a wide range of opportunities across multiple departments, so no matter your skills, interests, or goals, you can find a role that aligns with your strengths and passions." Her story underscores how individual service amplifies the Red Cross's mission amid ongoing demands on military families.
