Petty Officer 2nd Class Cody Dooley, from Fort Dodge, was among the sailors who supported the recovery of the crew and the Orion space capsule.

Dooley, a 2010 graduate of Fort Dodge Senior High School, serves the U.S. Navy assigned to Surface Medical Group Pacific, one of the Navy Medicine teams aboard USS John P. Murtha for the mission.

Dooley serves as a hospital corpsman and was on Fleet Surgical Team 1, the trauma resuscitation team, during the recovery mission.

The medical teams, like Fleet Surgical Team 1, embarked aboard USS John P. Murtha for the mission, trained extensively for the physiological effects of spaceflight, particularly the challenges associated with returning to Earth’s gravity after extended time in a microgravity environment. The successful recovery of the Artemis II crew highlighted the critical role Navy Medicine plays in supporting operational missions.

The skills and values needed to succeed in the Navy are similar to those found in Fort Dodge.

“My family taught me to put God first, have integrity, be fair and to do your best at anything you do,” Dooley said.

Dooley joined the Navy 15 years ago. Today, Dooley is a hospital corpsman who has earned the Fleet Marine Force and Joint En-Route Care qualifications.

“My grandfather told me stories of his 22-year career in the Air Force and instilled in me a sense of service to our country,” Dooley said.

Dooley has many opportunities to achieve accomplishments during military service.

“I’m most proud of serving with the 3rd Marines Headquarters Battalion; graduating from respiratory therapy school; deploying to Djibouti, Africa, to aid in COVID medical support; and being a part of the Artemis II recovery mission,” Dooley said.

“I take pride in serving our country and those I serve alongside, being able to protect those I love and provide support for their future,” Dooley said. “Having the opportunities to travel and also help those around the world is a blessing.”

Dooley is grateful to others for helping make a Navy career possible.

“I want to thank my parents for their continuing love and support,” Dooley said. “I also want to thank my grandparents for sharing their experiences in their military career and for their guidance as I work through my own.”