Photo By Chief Petty Officer Spencer Fling | 191121-N-PL946-1040 GREAT LAKES, Ill. (Oct. 2, 2019) Fire Control Technician 1st Class...... read more read more
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By Suzy Martin, Recruit Training Command Public Affairs
GREAT LAKES, Ill. — Three Recruit Training Command (RTC) petty officers were selected as Naval Service Training Command (NSTC) 2019 Instructors of the Year, Nov. 6.
Chief Fire Controlman Derek Webb is the Senior Enlisted Instructor of the Year; Fire Control Technician 1st Class Kyle King is Mid-Grade Enlisted Instructor of the Year; and The NSTC Junior instructor of the Year is Naval Aircrewman Operator 2nd Class Anthony Bass.
Webb was stationed was stationed aboard USS Vicksburg (CG-69) in Mayport, Florida, prior to accepting orders to RTC.
“I’m honored to receive this recognition. However, it’s more so for everybody that I work with,” said Webb. “Any time you are training somebody or teaching them something, if you’re doing it right and make that connection with them on a correct level, they want you to succeed. So, with myself winning Senior Instructor of the Year, it’s not just for me, it’s for everybody else to observe and say, ‘He’s been doing it right the entire time and he’s been invested.’ What that also pays homage to is my family as I put in a lot of hours. At least I can say, ‘WE are the senior IOY.’”
Webb, a native of San Diego, has been a Recruit Division Commander (RDC) for eight graduating divisions as well as a couple of Sea Cadet divisions.
“It’s very rewarding to see these young recruits come from in-processing days in sweat suits and see the transformation over time,” said Webb. “To hear the conversations that you have with them and the bond you get with them and see them all working together at the end where their own parents hardly notice them — it makes it all worth it.”
He currently serves as a RDC “C” School instructor and after having been at RTC for three-and-half years, he next heads to San Diego to serve on USS Higgins (DD 76).
Webb, whose father is a retired senior chief, said he joined the Navy with the goal of becoming a master chief.
“I love the Navy and everything that the Navy is supposed to do and what it stands for. Everyone joins for a reason and I think sometimes they forget that reason as to why they joined,” he said. “Every once in a while we all need to get recalibrated and reminded of that reason to get right back into the fight.”
Upon reflecting on his experience as an RDC, Webb recommends that incoming Sailors will find success if they are willing to go outside of their comfort zone.
“We need RDCs,” he said. “It’s competitive, yes, but once you get outside of your comfort zone and realize all the things that we do, if you can be an RDC, you can do any job at a high level with the upmost professionalism.”
King, of Monroe, Washington, was stationed on USS Providence (SSN 719) a Los Angeles-class attack submarine before arriving at RTC as an RDC.
“Prior to coming here, I was a fresh, terrified second-class wondering how I was going to do,” said King. “I’ve really come here and taken charge and matured a lot both in my career and also as a leader. That’s a huge deal.”
King has trained eight graduating divisions and two Sea Cadet divisions during his three years at RTC.
As a submariner, King has his eyes on qualifying as chief of the watch and dive officer of the watch as he next heads to Gold Crew, USS Maine (SSBN 741) in Bangor, Washington.
“I am meant for submarines. I didn’t know that before I joined but I absolutely love my job,” he said. “If for some reason they told me I was unable to go back to subs, I’d be distraught. It’s the minimalist concept and being shut off from all of the hustle and bustle and just the craziness that goes every day — you’re almost set aside in a time capsule. It’s very humbling.”
Along with his RDC duties, King has also taught motorcycle safety for the command. He also serves as a master training specialist team leader.
“I didn’t realize how much I loved teaching until I came here and it just came naturally,” he said. “You don’t really realize it before you come here how underneath everything it’s a mentoring, instructor role. Being able to really stretch my legs in that fashion and be able to expand in my ability to teach has been really great.”
King believes the opportunities that are available to Sailors at RTC are unparalleled in the Navy.
“You’re going to have new abilities as a leader, as a Sailor, and you’re going to be able to take on anything,” said King. “When I came here, I was worried about coming here, but this is probably one of the most successful commands that I’ve ever went for. It’s been an outstanding opportunity. In looking back, if I were to think, ‘Oh, I could have gone to submarine school and taught or I could have been a recruiter or this or that,’ there’s no way, there’s NO way it could have ever compared to what I’m leaving here with.”
Bass, of Carson City, Nevada, was stationed at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington, with VP-46 Patrol Squadron prior to accepting his orders to RTC.
He has been at RTC for a year-and-half as a Curriculum Instruction Evaluation Department instructor, teaching Basic Naval Orientation to recruits.
“It’s a good job as I like to teach the recruits,” said Bass. “I go to each of their classrooms in the barracks and although it’s division based, when there’s time after class, I allow them to ask other questions about the Navy or outside life. I definitely try to open up with personal stories or talk with recruits, or do what I can to help them out because I feel that my time is not time to be yelling at them, because that’s not what I am here to do. I am here to instruct them and that’s what I do.”
Bass said he’s honored to be the NSTC Junior Enlisted IOY.
“This felt good and I’m happy in receiving this honor. I would say this is one of the biggest, if not the biggest thing I’ve won,” he said. “Not just command level, but the fact that I won Navy Service Training Command level and I’m going up to the Naval Education and Training Command level — which is the highest level —is pretty awesome.”
After RTC, Bass will return to either Whidbey Island, Washington, or Jacksonville, Florida, for sea duty. He currently is completing a degree in history with American Military University and ultimately plans to become a high school teacher and football coach.
For those contemplating accepting orders to RTC, Bass offers advice on how to succeed during their tour.
“This is just like any other command as it’s going to have its good and it’s going to have its bad. It’s all going to be how you take it,” said Bass. “Whether you come here as an instructor or come here as an RDC it’s going to be the individual’s attitude. Someone can come here with a bad attitude and tell everyone it’s a horrible place. Some people can come here with a great attitude and say it’s awesome. What I’ve learned about this place is it’s what you’ve put into it.”
Each NSTC Instructor of the Year was set to compete in their respective categories for selection as the Naval Education and Training Command Instructor of the Year at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, at the end of November.
Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 35,000 recruits are trained annually at RTC and after graduating begin their Navy careers.
NSTC is commanded by Rear Adm. Jamie Sands who, along with his headquarters staff at Naval Station Great Lakes, Illinois, supports 98 percent of initial officer and enlisted accessions training for the Navy, as well as the Navy’s Citizenship Development program. NSTC’s support also includes RTC, the Navy’s only boot camp, also at Naval Station Great Lakes; the NROTC program at more than 160 colleges and universities; OTC at Newport, Rhode Island; and the Navy Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (NJROTC) and Navy National Defense Cadet Corps (NDCC) citizenship development programs at more than 600 high schools worldwide.
For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit: www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.
For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc/
For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.
For more news from Naval Service Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/greatlakes/.
| Date Taken: | 11.06.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.26.2019 17:44 |
| Story ID: | 353645 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, IL, US |
| Web Views: | 213 |
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