Photo By Allen Amani | SANTA RITA, Guam (Dec. 8, 2017) Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class AnnMarie Liles,...... read more read more
Getting praised for hard work is a difficult accomplishment when you’re one Sailor among hundreds of others on a ship. Receiving an award for that hard work is an even bigger feat.
Every year, U.S. Navy commands throughout the fleet name their Blue Jacket of the Year to recognize those junior Sailors who stand out above the rest. Hull Maintenance Technician 3rd Class AnnMarie Liles is that junior Sailor aboard the submarine tender USS Frank Cable (AS 40).
“It was an honor to have been nominated and accepted,” said Liles. “I was humbled to compete with such a great group of hard-working Sailors.”
The process of selecting honorees begins with Sailors in each department being nominated by members of their leadership team. Those nominated are then evaluated against Sailors from other departments. Finalists go before a board of senior Sailors who judge the nominees on professional military knowledge, leadership, military bearing, appearance and current events.
Growing up in Morganton, N.C., Liles describes herself as a “country girl through and through.” She spent her childhood learning how to hunt, fish and ride horses before joining the Navy in November 2015.
Liles says she joined the Navy serve her country, travel to new places and further her education. Pursuing education has been a huge factor in her motivation to succeed in her personal life and in her Navy career.
“My motivation is driven by the goals I have set for myself,” said Liles. “I plan on achieving my associate’s degree by 2018, and putting in a package to attend the Naval Academy to pursue a career in the medical field.”
Until then, Liles is focused on learning her rate and working towards her future goals. She says the key to finding balance in her professional career and personal life is just to take things as they come.
“I try to take things one day at a time, and use my time management skills to prioritize all facets of my life,” said Liles.
Every success comes with its fair share of challenges, and Liles’ climb to the top has been no exception.
“The biggest challenge has definitely been not only learning my rate, but being proficient enough to complete tasks to the standard Repair-1 Division is known for,” said Liles. “By working hard and maintaining a positive attitude, I was able to easily transition into a more technically demanding work center.”
Liles’ strong work ethic has not gone unnoticed by her shipmates on Frank Cable.
“She’s a hard worker,” said Interior Communication Electrician 1st Class Christopher Ornelas. “She’s an overachiever. Whatever you task her with, she always tries to go above and beyond.”
Liles says her parents and growing up in a rural community have had a big influence on her work ethic.
“Growing up on a small farm, there was never a shortage of work to be done,” said Liles. “There were always animals to be fed, stalls that needed to be cleaned and hay that needed to be put up for winter.”
Liles says that by winning the Blue Jacket of the Year award she hopes that she can be an example to other Sailors and help motivate them as well.
When asked what advice she would give to other junior Sailors trying to achieve success in their Navy careers, Liles said, “Keep a positive attitude, work hard and you can get farther than you’d actually think possible.”
Frank Cable, currently in Portland, Ore., for a scheduled dry-dock maintenance availability, is home-ported in Guam and conducts maintenance and support of submarines and surface vessels deployed in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. For more information on Frank Cable, find us on Facebook at USS Frank Cable (AS 40), or http://www.csp.navy.mil/frankcable
| Date Taken: | 12.19.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 12.21.2017 18:26 |
| Story ID: | 259542 |
| Location: | SANTA RITA, GU |
| Hometown: | MORGANTON, NC, US |
| Web Views: | 65 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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