Photo By Jhon Parsons | From left: Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division Commanding Officer...... read more read more
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From childhood, Fire Controlman Petty Officer 1st Class (FC1) Chloe Lane with Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD) said her career path was clear — she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her grandfathers by joining the Navy.
Lane’s childhood aspirations led to a career as a weapon system technician in which she directed the installation, configuration and fault isolation for critical combat-control systems, ensuring operational availability milestones in 2025 for USS Ramage (DDG 61) and USS Nitze (DDG 94) ahead of schedule — saving the Navy over $37,000 in travel costs.
Lane’s standout performance led to her selection as NSWC PHD's Senior Sailor of the Quarter (SSOQ) for the fourth quarter of fiscal 2025.
Chief Fire Controlman (FCC) John Rutherford, Lane’s supervisor at NSWC PHD, said her selection as SSOQ recognizes her outstanding leadership, job performance and dedication to mission success.
“Her commitment to operational excellence was reflected in her rigorous enforcement of information assurance vulnerability alerts and maintenance requirement card corrective actions, ensuring full compliance and mission-ready status,” Rutherford said. “Additionally, as the technical leader for the install, FC1 Lane conducted comprehensive assessments on USS Ramage, correcting major and minor system faults, (which) directly contributed to the ship’s successful deployment to the Gulf of America.”
Lane said she wasn’t expecting the award.
“I was surprised at first, then was really overjoyed,” she said. “I feel proud that I was able to win the Senior Sailor of the Quarter award.”
Leadership recognition
Beyond her accomplishments with the two ships, Lane was also recognized for her leadership in mentoring sailors, ensuring their success in military duties and deployments.
“Her commitment to sailor development extended to her role as assistant command fitness leader,” Rutherford said. “She conducted thrice-weekly Fitness Enhancement Program sessions, improving physical readiness for eight sailors.”
Lane credits Rutherford for his mentorship and guidance.
“The most influential mentor I’ve had is FCC Rutherford,” she said. “He stepped in when my last chief retired a few months ago, and he’s been able to guide and mentor me into becoming a better sailor. I wouldn’t have received the SSOQ without him.”
Her journey
Lane grew up in Colorado, where she graduated from Cherry Creek High School in Greenwood Village in 2018. She shipped out to boot camp in Chicago in July of the same year. She joined a push division — a shortened, quicker-paced boot camp — before entering the Recruit Training Command (RTC) for six weeks.
After RTC, Lane attended 10 weeks of Advanced Technical Training, then six months of A school, then three months of Tomahawk C school in Point Loma, California.
Lane started her Navy service on USS Preble (DDG 88) in August 2019 and came to NSWC PHD in November 2023 to work on Tomahawk installations and upgrades.
The lure of working on the Tomahawk missile system drew her to the command.
“I chose these orders because I love my job as a Tomahawk technician,” Lane said. “There aren’t a lot of shore duties that would allow me to stay within my specific job title. This job was one of the few where I could continue to work on my favorite system.”
Navy impact
Lane said that the Navy didn’t just fulfill a childhood dream — it also kept her away from trouble.
“The Navy has been super impactful on shaping me into the person I am today,” she said. “I’m a very different person now than who I was leaving high school. To be completely honest, I was a bit of a delinquent growing up. Now, I’m a responsible first class sailor and SSOQ.”
In addition to an important course correction, Lane said that the Navy has given her greater purpose.
“I’m most thankful to the Navy for the career opportunities and the privilege to serve my country in a meaningful way,” Lane said. “The Navy has given me the opportunity to do things I didn’t think I would ever do. I got to live in Hawaii and San Diego. I’ve been able to travel to a couple of countries. I’ve met some amazing people who are going to be my lifelong friends.”
| Date Taken: | 01.07.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 01.09.2026 15:18 |
| Story ID: | 555838 |
| Location: | PORT HUENEME, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 100 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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