Courtesy Photo | Recruit portrait of Seaman Apprentice Hailey Fox-McKinney. Fox-McKinney was...... read more read more
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GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Seaman Apprentice Hailey Fox-McKinney was recognized as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) Oct. 9, 2025.
Fox-McKinney, 25, of Southampton, Pennsylvania, said receiving the Navy’s highest recruit honor is both humbling and motivating.
“When I first found out I was ranked in the top five percent of my division, I was shocked,” she said. “To then be told I had earned the Military Excellence Award was overwhelming. I’m deeply grateful and hope I’ve made my husband and family proud. This award is something I hold in very high regard, and it’s motivation I’ll carry with me into the rest of my Navy career.”
The Military Excellence Award is presented to the recruit who best demonstrates enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork throughout training. As part of her recognition, Fox-McKinney received a flag letter of commendation.
Though joining the Navy was a lifelong goal for Fox-McKinney, her path to enlistment was not straightforward.
“I wanted to join when I was 18, but the timing wasn’t right,” she said. “Instead, I focused on college and graduate school and kept praying that one day I’d get the chance. After finishing school, I settled in Hawaii with my husband, and a few months ago, I found out I was finally cleared to enlist. Once he returned from his rotation, I shipped out two weeks later.”
Fox-McKinney graduated from William Tennent High School, where she was a member of the English National Honor Society, competed in tennis, and served as editor for the Key Club. She went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Holy Family University in 2021 and a master’s degree in forensic psychology from Kean University in 2023.
Before joining the Navy, she worked as a victim specialist for the Department of the Prosecuting Attorney’s Office in Hawaii and volunteered with the American Red Cross, assisting with military events.
While at RTC, she said her biggest motivator was her husband, Tyler, who serves in the Army.
“Watching him navigate his career has been so influential for me,” she said. “He recently graduated from an Army school with distinguished honors, and that was a powerful reminder to keep pushing myself. He’s always modeled the mindset that even though things get tough, it’s temporary. That perspective helped me embrace the challenges of boot camp and push through.”
Fox-McKinney said the most challenging part of training was being away from her family, but she found strength in focusing on gratitude.
“There were nights when I lay in bed thinking about how hard it was to be here,” she said. “But then I’d remind myself how grateful I am to finally have this opportunity. I had to overcome so many obstacles to get here, so even the hard days were worth it.”
Her Recruit Division Commanders were Master Chief Angel-Tiddmen, Chief Frazin, and Petty Officer 1st Class Mondestin.
Following graduation, Fox-McKinney will attend Cryptologic Technician Maintenance “A” school in Pensacola, Florida, for specialized training.
Training at RTC is approximately nine weeks long, 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: | 10.08.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 10.08.2025 20:15 |
| Story ID: | 550082 |
| Location: | ILLINOIS, US |
| Web Views: | 835 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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