Fuel for the Focused: New York Awards Stand-out Sailor

ATLANTIC OCEAN

01.24.2020

Story by Petty Officer 2nd Class Lyle Wilkie 

USS NEW YORK (LPD 21)

Going above and beyond to be prominent among peers was just one of the reasons Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) Airman Mark Nicosia was recently named the Sailor of the week for the amphibious transport dock ship USS New York’s (LPD 21).
“My job on this ship is pump room operator,” said Nicosia. “I send JP-5 [fuel] to where ever it needs to go ensuring its successful delivery.”
Nicosia is responsible for aligning pump room valves to transfer fuel throughout the ship, such as the flight deck, for embarked aircraft and other locations for small boat and ground support equipment.
“Nicosia operates at full speed all the time; if he is given a task he will ensure it is seen through to completion,” said Lt. Cmdr. Matthew Swartz, the air boss onboard New York. “He is a quick learner and utilizes the knowledge retained in all aspects of operation.”

He was chosen to be the Sailor of the week for earning the JP-5 pump room operator qualification ahead of schedule; a job normally held by a seasoned petty officer third class. His work led to 98 successful flight deck fueling evolutions and two landing craft, air cushion (LCAC) fueling evolutions with zero mishaps. Over the past two months, Nicosia received 97,000 gallons of JP-5 and has issued over 10,000 gallons of fuel to aircraft, LCACs, vehicles, and small boats, and has received 97,000 gallons of fuel.

“To describe him in one word would be enthusiastic because without hesitation, he is first to accept and take ownership of the most demanding tasks,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) Junior Rodriguez, Nicosia’s department leading chief petty officer.

Nicosia plans on reenlisting in hopes of picking up third class petty officer.
New York, with the Bataan Amphibious Ready Group and the embarked 26th Marine expeditionary Unit, is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region.
For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy/ or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy/.

For more news from USS New York (LPD 21), visit http://www.navy.mil/local/LPD21/ or http://www.facebook.com/ussnewyorklpd21/?refequalsts/

• Date Taken: 01.24.2020
• Date Posted: 03.15.2020 15:35
• Story ID: 365257
• Location: ATLANTIC OCEAN