NASK Recognizes Sailors and Civilians of the Year

Photo By Rod Hafemeister | Capt. Thomas Korsmo presents AC1 Vincent Stearns with the Fiscal Year 2020 Senior Sailor of the Year Award in a Dec. 3 ceremony on the NASK Air Ops quarterdeck.  

KINGSVILLE, TX, UNITED STATES

12.17.2020

Story by Rod Hafemeister 

Naval Air Station Kingsville

Naval Air Station Kingsville in December honored three sailors and four civilians for their accomplishments in Fiscal Year 2020.
The sailors were AC1 Vincent Stearns, IC2 Phillip English and MA3 Austin Madrid.
Civilian honorees were Ken Moses, Laura Jo Crosnoe, Pauline Soto and Caleb Walker.
“It’s always a great pleasure to recognize people who do great things,” said Capt. Thomas Korsmo, NASK commanding officer.
Korsmo surprised each of the honorees and presented them with a Texas plaque commemorating their selection.
Air Traffic Controller First Class Stearns, a facility watch supervisor in Air Operations, was named Senior Sailor of the Year.
According to his nomination, “Petty Officer Stearns is an exceptional Sailor and air traffic controller who has greatly impacted the Air Traffic Control Division and Naval Air Station Kingsville.
“He is a ‘go-to’ Sailor who completes every task flawlessly and requires no rework or supervision. His work ethic sets the example for peers and juniors alike. His mentorship has helped mold future generations to be hard working, productive members of the Navy.”
As Air Traffic Control Division Lead Chief Petty Officer, Stearns “developed a rotating watchbill for the ATC division that mitigated the spread of the COVID-19 virus by distributing facility hours among four newly formed watch sections.”
Stearns also serves as Command Managed Equal Opportunity Manager, Command Motorcycle Safety Representative, Command Honor Guard Leading Petty Officer and Flight Planning Branch Chief and is one of six first class petty officers designated to serve as Command Duty Officer.
Stearns will now compete for Navy Region Southeast Sailor of the Year.
Interior Communications Electrician Second Class English, Sailor of the Year, filled two positions during the fiscal year, first as navigation aids supervisor in the Air Ops department and currently as NASK command career counselor.
He previously had been named Commander, Navy Region Southeast Air Traffic Control Technician of the Year.
As technician, he is responsible for preventative and corrective maintenance of systems critical to NASK’s flight operations.
After serving collateral duty as divisional career counselor, he was handpicked to be command career counselor in June, filling an estimated 18-month gap in the position and contributed to the commands qualification for the Retention Excellence Award.
English also received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
Master-at-Arms Third Class Madrid, Blue Jacket of the Year, serves as a security watch section patrol supervisor and “often performs the duties of Watch Commander in their absence, with zero supervision,” according to his nomination.
“MA3 Madrid leads both sailors and experienced civilian employees and enjoys the full support of his watch team and leadership.”
Madrid also received the Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal.
Each of the civilian awardees received the Civilian Service Achievement Medal.
Ken Moses, Senior Civilian of the Year, is the NASK airfield manager.
He was recognized for “superior managerial skills and proactive involvement” in a $32 million airfield lighting replacement project that “has been executed without significant interruption” to Training Air Wing Two’s flight operations.
Moses coordinated daily with the project contractor and conducted daily sweeps for construction debris that could have damaged aircraft.
“This lighting project is undoubtedly the biggest, most extensive, and most costly airfield undertaking in the past 30 years and Mr. Moses has coordinated it nearly flawlessly,” the nomination said.
Laura Crosnoe, Civilian of the Year, is financial technician for the NASK’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation program.
She oversees the accounting of 17 different MWR programs.
“During Fiscal Year 2020, Laura Jo reviewed over 900 accounting documents, 375 purchase requests and contracts totaling over $900,000 in non-appropriated funds,” her citation read. “All documents were submitted on time and with zero deficiencies.”
Most MWR employees are NAF – non-appropriated funds employees, paid from funds that are not appropriated by Congress. They are federal employees but not civil service.
Pauline Soto, NAF human resources specialist, was named the Senior NAF Employee of the Year.
“During fiscal year 2020, Pauline provided HR services to 83 flex and full time NAF employees,” her award reads.
“From the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ms. Soto kept abreast of the ever-changing policies to ensure each employee remained informed of their rights and entitlements.”
Caleb Walker, a fitness assistant at the base gym, was selected as NAF Employee of the Year.
He was recognized as “the first to volunteer when a difficult task is needed to be done. Mr. Walker shows great initiative in finding problems and working until there is a solution.
“Patrons recognize and appreciate his habit of continually cleaning while on duty and immediately responding to their requests. He has willingly taken on additional duties such as building monitor and safety monitor.”
Bravo Zulu to all of NASK’s Sailors and Civilians of the Year!

Note: A version of this story appeared in the Dec. 17, 2020, issue of the Kingsville Record.

• Date Taken: 12.17.2020
• Date Posted: 12.17.2020 17:13
• Story ID: 385263
• Location: KINGSVILLE, TX, US