Courtesy Photo | Seaman Tommy Nguyen graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning...... read more read more
Subscribe
GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Fireman Tommy Nguyen graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) June 12, 2025.
Nguyen, from Phoenix, Arizona, stated that he enlisted for several reasons, including the many opportunities he'd have for personal development.
“I traveled for a few months during the summer after my college semester was over,” Nguyen said. “I’d been searching for a way to be a more independent person, and wanted to find a way to be able to help support my family. Finding a role and a purpose that was greater than myself is a big reason I decided to join the Navy. Having my family name on my chest is something I’m proud of, and I’m hoping my experiences in the military will help me become that person I want to be.”
Nguyen, 22, graduated from Combs High School, where he was a member of the cross country and track and field teams. Before joining the Navy, he attended Chandler Community College and worked in the food service industry.
The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the recruit who best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award places him at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Nguyen is awarded a flag letter of commendation as part of his recognition.
The award, according to Nguyen, represents the best possible first step to begin his naval career.
“When I found out I’d won the award, my thoughts immediately went back to my first few days of training here,” said Nguyen. “It dawned on me how much I’d learned and changed. I realized how all those little things I’d done like volunteering and helping other recruits study had made a difference. Thinking about it now, I realize that I can accomplish even more. The key for me is to continue to have the patience, discipline, and focus that I need to keep pushing myself as I move forward.”
Nguyen’s RDCs (Recruit Division Commanders) are Chief Equipment Operator (EOC) Jamie Lenger, Mineman 1st Class (MN1) Mark Castellanos and Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class (AO1) Tonnisha Lee and they guided him through the nine-week process.
“My RDCs were hard on us, but I expected that,” he said. “They had high expectations, but instead of looking at that from a negative point of view, I saw it as a positive. They recognized how much potential we had and cared enough to teach us what we needed to know to be prepared for the fleet.”
Along with his RDCs, Nguyen drew inspiration from his family.
“I told my mom before I left that I didn’t need her to worry about sending mail or anything while I was here,” Nguyen says. “I was trying to be tough, I guess, and let her know that I didn’t need to be checked up on. But when I got my first phone call, I cried like a baby when I heard her voice. I missed her so much, and all the support she gave me and the letters she wrote to me while I was here are something I will never forget.”
Nguyen stated that the greatest challenge he encountered during boot camp was being apart from those he cares about at home.
“This was the first time in my life that I really felt like I was on my own,” said Nguyen. “I’ve always been able to rely on my family and friends for support, and being away from them was harder than I thought it would be. It wasn’t until I accepted help from the other recruits in my division and tried to learn as much as I could from those around me that I started to feel different. Instead of just keeping to myself, I tried to make connections and give as much as I could to everyone around me in return. That’s when I started to see a lot of growth and change.”
After graduation, Nguyen will attend Machinist’s Mate Nuclear “A” School in Charleston, South Carolina, where he will gain a working knowledge of technical mathematics and power distribution, along with the theory and practical applications of nuclear physics.
Training at RTC is approximately nine weeks, and all enlistees in the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. More than 40,000 Recruits train annually at the Navy’s only boot camp.
| Date Taken: | 06.11.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.11.2025 11:34 |
| Story ID: | 500329 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | PHOENIX, ARIZONA, US |
| Web Views: | 372 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nguyen Earns Military Excellence Award at Recruit Training Command, by Marc Lindsay, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
