NAVCENT Announces 2009 Sailor Of The Year

Photo By Lt. Rachel Maul | Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Staff Command Master Chief Marco Ramirez (left), Bluejacket of the Year Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard Mace, Jr., intelligence specialist, Sailor of the Year Petty Officer 1st Class Tychicious Turner, boatswain's mate, Commander, NAVCENT Vice Adm. Bill Gortney and Junior Sailor of the Year Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Meyers, operations specialist, pose for a photo after an awards presentation Feb. 16 at Naval Support Activity Bahrain. Gortney applauded the Sailor's performance and congratulated them for their selection.  

MANAMA, BAHRAIN

02.15.2010

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Rachel Maul 

U.S. Naval Forces Central Command / U.S. 5th Fleet           

MANAMA, Bahrain - Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command Vice Adm. Bill Gortney joined NAVCENT Staff Command Master Chief Marco Ramirez in announcing the 2009 NAVCENT Sailor of the Year during a ceremony held Feb. 15 onboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

"It's an honor to pay tribute to the men and women who set the example everyday, only to exceed it the following day," said NAVCENT Staff Command Master Chief Marco Ramirez.

Petty Officer 1st Class Tychicious Turner, boatswain's mate, from San Diego, was named Sailor of the Year, Petty Officer 2nd Class Shannon Meyers, operations specialist, from Columbus, Ga., was named Junior Sailor of the Year and Petty Officer 3rd Class Richard Mace, Jr., intelligence specialist, from Montclair, Va., was named Bluejacket of the Year.

Turner will go on to compete for Vice Chief of Naval Operations Naval Shore Activities Sailor of the Year in March.

"These Sailors are the best of best," Ramirez said, "and now it is time to recognize them for their achievements and for their dedication to professionalism, integrity and the U.S. Navy."

Sailor of the Year nominee packages, which are submitted from departments within the command, are reviewed by NAVCENT senior leadership. Following this appraisal, the nominees have individual interviews with a five-member board made up of senior enlisted command leaders.

"It was challenging, because you don't know what they're going to ask during the board," Meyers said, laughing. "I did better than I thought I would."

Sailors are evaluated on their leadership abilities, professional knowledge, performance, military bearing, command collateral duties and other significant individual accomplishments.

Meyers will not be the only one in her family to take the JSOY title home, she said. Her sister, Petty Officer 2nd Class Stacey Meyers, logistics specialist, was also selected as a 2009 JSOY, at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where she is currently stationed.

"I'm so proud. We've been stationed together before and it seems every time something good happens to her, it happens to me and vice versa," Meyers said. "I'm at a point in my life I never thought I'd be."

• Date Taken: 02.15.2010
• Date Posted: 02.17.2010 10:31
• Story ID: 45467
• Location: MANAMA, BH