Courtesy Photo | Seaman Yazmine Gaines graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RTC),...... read more read more
Subscribe
GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Seaman Yazmine Gaines graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RTC), earning the Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award (MEA) Nov. 20, 2025.
Gaines, 18, from Brenham, Texas, said she joined the Navy to build a future defined by independence, education, and purpose.
“I wanted to do everything at once—go to school, travel, grow as a person, and build a future where I can stand on my own,” Gaines said. “I’m the first of my mom’s kids to go straight out into the world and do something with my life, and that’s something I’m really proud of.”
At Brenham High School, Gaines stayed deeply involved in both academics and extracurricular activities, participating in basketball, track, cross country, STEM, JROTC, Anchor Club, Black History Club, and Student Council. She said those activities taught her discipline, resilience, and how to work with different types of people—skills that played a significant role during her time at RTC.
The Military Excellence Award is presented to the recruit who best demonstrates enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award places Gaines among the top of today’s newest Sailors. As part of her recognition, she is awarded a flag letter of commendation.
Gaines said finding out she had earned the MEA was a moment she won’t forget.
“The day before the board, I was stressed—I didn’t know how it would go,” she said. “I prayed about it and gave it to God. When they told me I was the MEA, I felt proud, relieved, and grateful. It showed me that if I really put my mind to something, I can achieve it. This is just the beginning of a new chapter.”
Her Recruit Division Commanders (RDCs) were Damage Controlman 1st Class (DC1) Francis Macero, Gunner’s Mate 1st Class (GM1) William Boomershine, and Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st Class (AZ1) Alexis Abreu-Santiago.
Gaines said her primary motivation throughout training came from her mother.
“She wrote me constantly, always telling me that I could do anything as long as I kept God first,” Gaines said. “Her letters reminded me of who I am and why I came here.”
She also credited GM1 Boomershine for pushing her to meet higher standards.
“He’s hands-on and expects the best,” she said. “He has real pride in what he does. He pushes you all the way to the end, and that motivated me to push myself.”
For Gaines, the biggest challenge during boot camp was learning how to stay centered and grounded amid the fast pace and constant demands of training.
“The mental side of boot camp is no joke,” Gaines said. “There’s a lot happening at once, and you’re surrounded by so many different personalities. I really had to focus on keeping a clear mind, staying true to my goals, and surrounding myself with people who wanted to grow right alongside me. Writing and praying helped me stay steady, and once I found my rhythm, everything started to fall into place.”
After graduating, Gaines will continue her training at Operations Specialist “A” school in Great Lakes, Illinois.
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: | 11.19.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2025 12:19 |
| Story ID: | 551716 |
| Location: | GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US |
| Hometown: | BRENHAM, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 727 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Gaines 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.
