Photo By Shelby West | As the Protocol Officer onboard Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Curtis Steward is known for...... read more read more
A man of few words, Curtis Steward, is known across Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) for his advice (which is legendary) and as someone who gets the job done. Considering his role as the NNSY Protocol Officer, those aspects have been vital to his success and were formed by the journey that brought him to this moment.
Born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, Steward moved around the world with his Air Force family before settling in Hampton Roads. As an adult, he enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps and intended to make it a career. His initial goal was to be a drill instructor and be stationed in Okinawa, Japan, where he had spent four years as a child. Unfortunately, an accident during training ended his career early.
Four months after discharge, Steward started his career at NNSY in Feb. 1991 as a base police officer. In Aug. 1997, Steward was reassigned to a new position in the Executive Support Department (Code 1100). Initially promoted by the shipyard commander to Installation Liaison, Steward spent six years in that position before becoming the first official Protocol Officer for NNSY.
"So initially, I knew nothing about it [protocol], and then found it interesting because it goes from one extreme to the next," Steward laughed as he recounted how he started his protocol career. "One day, it could be cleaning trash cans, vacuuming rooms, straightening conference rooms and the next day, I could be shaking hands with a Senator or a four-star Admiral or Secretary of the Navy, so that part of it was interesting."
After 32 years at the shipyard, Steward has seen thousands of guests enter and exit the shipyard gates. NNSY can receive multiple distinguished visitors each month, sometimes up to three different visits in one week, and it is the Protocol Officer's job to plan, coordinate and orchestrate every moment of those visits. Of course, some visits are more memorable than others and stand out as a jewel in the crown of a storied career.
"One of the ones, actually two, that stick in my head the most are visits by two different Secretaries of the Navy where we had to land helicopters on the lawn of building 1500," Steward said. "That was the coolest thing ever to see them lining up both helicopters right in front. So they landed, did the visit, got on the helos and went off into the sunset. The coordination for that, as you can imagine, was quite something. We had to coordinate with the ship and get the flight line guys here to bring those helicopters in, and of course, security was stopping everything around and people were hanging out the window [to look]. It was cool, that's for sure."
For Steward, his time at the shipyard is only a part of what has crafted him into the man he is today. In Nov. 1993 he met the love of his life Sandra and in 1996 they were married. “She is my rock and keeps me pushing forward,” he said. Together, they have three children, five grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. Steward is a man who values family above everything else. "I want my kids and grandkids to see me as a hard worker and always there for them. Always present. That's important."
When you ask him about the personal leadership lessons he's applied over the years, he references coaching football. Head coach for the Virginia Beach Mustangs, a United Youth Football League member, Steward has been coaching youth football for the last 27 years.
Steward’s road to coaching however, was an unexpected one. When his son decided that he wanted to play, Curtis found himself following in his own father’s footsteps. “I thought I was going to be a spectator,” he laughs. “Here I go, taking [my son] to practice, and they said, 'Well, you're here every day; you might as well go ahead and grab a shirt and a whistle.' I knew nothing about coaching, played but had never known anything about coaching, so I started then."
Having played football growing up, Steward learned much about leadership from his coach, with one lesson he lives by today. As a student, his coach told him that "you have to be where you're supposed to be when you're supposed to be there," and that advice has stuck with him ever since.
Professionally, that advice translates into his day-to-day interactions. "Do what needs to be done to get the job done," he advises. "Especially in my job, that means coming in early, staying late, [being available] at a moment's notice and having pride in what I do. Everything I do supports the shipyard commander, and I want to be remembered for doing that as part of my end of the bargain." He continues, "We all have limitations, and of course, we don't want to be doing something way out of our job, but at the same time, if we all have to get it done, it needs to be done."
Within the following year, Steward will retire from NNSY and will leave on his Honda Goldwing motorcycle and pass his work ethic and sage wisdom on to another Protocol Officer. "I'm thankful for everything," he says. "This has had its ups and downs, more ups than downs, but overall, if I had to do it again, I would." Bravo Zulu, Mr. Steward. Your service to NNSY has been greatly appreciated, and you will be missed.
| Date Taken: | 11.01.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 11.06.2023 13:40 |
| Story ID: | 457290 |
| Location: | PORTSMOUTH, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 240 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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