By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lauren Howes
BREMERTON, Wash. – The Bremerton-Olympic Peninsula Navy League hosted a luncheon at Naval Base Kitsap Bangor Plaza honoring USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) 2012 Sailor of the Year recipients July 8.
Senior Sailor of the Year Personnel Specialist 1st Class Marianogerard Zamora, Junior Sailor of the Year Personnel Specialist 2nd Class Natalie Camden, and Blue Jacket of the Year Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Dane McDonald were selected out of more than 2,500 Stennis sailors.
“I feel extremely honored to be a guest at this event,” said Machinery Repairman 2nd Class Dane McDonald, from Milwaukee. “This is a great organization that has been around for 111 years, and it is nice to know that they appreciate and recognize the work that we do aboard the ship.”
During the event each award winner was recognized for their hard work and individual efforts that directly impacted the command.
“Events like this are the most important thing that we do as a league,” said Carolyn Dankers, president of the North Coastal Area Navy League. “There is such keen competition for this award, and these sailors work so hard and represent the best of the Navy. Presenting them with this award is an honor and gives us a chance to say thank you.”
“It is great to be recognized for the work my sailors and I do,” said Personnel Specialist 1st Class Marianogerard Zamora, from Anaheim, Calif. “What makes this event significant is that it is a league of civilians and civilian-owned businesses that have no direct affiliation with the military who have come together to recognize the hard work we do.”
The Sailor of the Year program was established in 1972 by the Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet to recognize individual sailors who best represented the ever-growing group of dedicated professional sailors at each command and throughout the Navy.
For more news from USS John C. Stennis visit www.stennis.navy.mil and www.facebook.com/stennis 74.