U.S. 5th Fleet Announces its 2016 Shore Sailor of the Year

Photo By Petty Officer 1st Class Ryan McLearnon | 170129-N-GC639-0018 NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN (Jan. 29, 2017) - Logistics Specialist 1st Class Karime Rivera, a native of Cali, Colombia, assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), receives a plaque from NAVCENT Commander Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan after being named U.S. 5th Fleet 2016 Shore Sailor of the Year during a ceremony held in the Oasis Room aboard Naval Support Activity Bahrain, Jan. 29. Representing U.S. 5th Fleet, Rivera will continue to compete further at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations Staff level which is the second to last stop to being named Vice Chief of Naval Operations’ Sailor of the Year. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Ryan D. McLearnon)  

NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN, BAHRAIN

01.29.2017

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Victoria Mejicanos 

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

Logistics Specialist 1st Class Karime Rivera, a native of Cali, Colombia, assigned to U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT), earned the honor as one of three finalists.

Competing against Rivera were Logistics Specialist 1st Class Jill Monaghan, a native of Cape May, N.J., assigned to Commander, Logistics Forces as part of Commander, Task Force (CTF) 53, and Operations Specialist 1st Class Joshua Spence, a native of Bellbrook, Ohio, assigned to Destroyer Squadron (DESRON) 50.

U.S. 5th Fleet Commander Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan recognized the finalists for their individual accomplishments, awarding Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals to Rivera and Monaghan, and a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal to Spence.

“Sailors here execute our Navy’s core tasks every day: protecting our country, advancing our interests, supporting allies and partner nations, delivering aid to people in crisis, and vigilantly guarding the sea lanes that are so necessary to our economic stability,” said Donegan. “All of you being honored here today exhibit these traits and convey them to your Sailors in many ways.

"I am in awe by the tremendous skill and talent of our forward-deployed Sailors all over our area of operations, and you exemplify that skill and bring it to the next level,” said Donegan.

Rivera is the leading petty officer of her division and manages $14 million annually. She is also responsible for the procurement and accountability of assets, electronic hardware and logistics contracts for NAVCENT, U.S. 5th Fleet and Combined Maritime Force (CMF) mission requirements. She was named NAVCENT Sailor of the Year in December.

"Never let the success of actions be your motivation, and never cease to work,” said Rivera.

Monaghan was selected as CTF 53 Sailor of the Year for leading seven Sailors in executing 800 flights, handling six million pounds of cargo and transporting more than 2,000 passengers across 12 countries.

“I am very humbled to have been selected,” said Monaghan. “I would not have gotten this far without my amazing leadership and all the stellar work of my shipmates. I try to practice working hard in silence and let success make the noise."

Spence was selected as CTF 55 Sailor of the Year for handling the employment of 26 surface assets between multiple task forces and nations, and alongside his team of seven Sailors, operating a command, control, communications, computers and intelligence architecture that interfaces 12 communication systems and 10 tactical displays. He is the operations department leading petty officer and command equal opportunity manager.

“I feel honored, humbled and blessed to have been selected to represent CTF 55,” said Spence.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2017
• Date Posted: 02.14.2017 06:14
• Story ID: 223464
• Location: NAVAL SUPPORT ACTIVITY BAHRAIN, BH