Navy Personnel Command Selects Bluejacket of the Year

Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Jared Catlett | Bluejacket of the Year Yeoman 3rd Class Ricardo A. Gonzalez  

MILLINGTON, TN, UNITED STATES

01.23.2023

Story by Chief Petty Officer Jason Perry 

Navy Personnel Command

Yeoman 3rd Class Ricardo A. Gonzalez was recently selected as Navy Personnel Command’s 2022 Bluejacket of the Year, Jan. 11, 2023.
“When I first heard the news I felt confused,” said Gonzalez. “I am humbled and grateful that leadership and my peers recognized my accomplishments in such a short period of time.”
Gonzalez, a Lake Mary, Florida native has been assigned to Navy Personnel Command since November 2021 and credits his determination and instinct as keys to his success.
“You have to be comfortable with being a little uncomfortable and be willing to do the harder jobs, things you wouldn’t normally do,” said Gonzalez.
As an administration clerk for PERS 913, Gonzalez processes administrative separations for the Navy reserves and also processes reserve to active-duty and transfers to other branches of service.
“You’ll never truly understand your strengths until you put yourself in situations that are challenging,” he said.
Gonzalez recently started back to school online classes at Southern Technical College gathering general education classes as he works toward his nursing degree.
In 1972, former Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and former Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittlet established the Sailor of the Year Program recognizing one Sailor who demonstrates both professional and personal dedication and represents the Navy’s best of the best. Ten years following the programs establishment, the Sailor-of-the-Year was expanded to include the Navy Reservists. The Blue Jacket of the Year award is an annual award to recognize sailors for their outstanding and professional performance during the year.

• Date Taken: 01.23.2023
• Date Posted: 01.23.2023 16:03
• Story ID: 437101
• Location: MILLINGTON, TN, US