NAS Patuxent River announces its Sailors and Civilians of the Year, marking the command’s top military personnel and civil servants for 2025.
“Every day our ‘Pax Pros’ complete the necessary missions to make our air station the center for excellence in naval aviation we know it to be,” said NAS Patuxent River Commanding Officer Capt. Mark Zematis. “And among those hard-chargers, the Sailors and civilians chosen for this recognition stand out as the best of the best. Their hard work and dedication earned them these accolades, and I am extremely proud to serve alongside them.”
The Sailor of the Year Program was established by the Chief of Naval Operations to recognize the superior performance of enlisted personnel, pay grades E-1 to E-6, and emphasize outstanding achievement and professionalism, exemplary personal conduct, command impact, mission contribution, dedication to self-improvement and superb initiative. Similarly, federal civilian personnel are also recognized for their exemplary service.
SAILOR OF THE YEAR NC1 (SW/AW/SCW/NAC) Frederick Salazar Command Career Counselor NC1 Frederick Salazar, NAS Patuxent River Command Career Counselor, in addition to being the command career counselor, was hand-selected for and dual-hatted as the Naval District Washington Regional Career Counselor, overseeing career development efforts for seven commands and multiple counselors, impacting over 1,000 Sailors across the region. He successfully conducted four Lead and Assist visits, five Command Information Program Reviews, led seven regional monthly training sessions, and was recognized as the foremost expert within the region, frequently sought after for guidance and mentorship.
He was regularly cited for consistently performing well above his paygrade, demonstrating exemplary leadership in guiding teams to understand evolving policies and fulfill command-wide mission objectives. As the NAS Pax River Command Career Counselor, his exceptional technical expertise enabled him to provide vital information and training to six unit counselors. He extended his support beyond his area of responsibility, assisting counselors and leadership which contributed to the Region Career Counselor awarding the command a “COMPLIANT” rating during the annual CIPR. As the N1 Department Leading Petty Officer, he effectively led and managed a team of five Sailors and three civilian personnel amidst a gapped YNC billet, consistently delivering exceptional support and customer service. Under his leadership, the department successfully completed 200 CPPA transactions, processed over 140 pieces of correspondence, managed 50 awards, and finalized 59 Evaluations/FITREPs. Additionally, he resolved numerous bonus-related issues, resulting in the liquidation of $15,000 in funds. “NC1 has been preeminent serving in the dual role as the Naval District Washington Regional Career Counselor amidst a gapped Senior Chief billet while maintaining Command Career Counselor duties for NAS Patuxent River,” said AnnaBelle Sanders, Installation Administrative Officer. “NC1 Salazar has consistently operated with a seasoned leadership poise and immeasurable impact to Naval Air Station Patuxent River and Naval District Washington.”
JUNIOR SAILOR OF THE YEAR MA2 (SW/AW) Zachary Johnson Command Physical Security Specialist MA2 Zachary Johnson serves as an installation security specialist, a position normally held by a GS-11 or O-3, and is responsible for all Electronic Security Systems (ESS), Keys and Locks across three fence lines and all related physical security aspects. He controls 25,000 access permissions to personnel entering the installation, and is responsible for over 30 Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility (SCIF)/ Special Access Program (SAP) spaces, 120 Open Storage Secret Spaces and Collateral Spaces. His responsibilities also encompass the protection of 54 Arms, Ammunition and Explosive (AA&E) safes and magazines. Johnson exhibited his acumen for leadership as a watch commander, responsible to the Security Officer for the supervision of 19 Naval Security Forces (NSF) Sailors, Department of Navy civilians and 20 Auxiliary Force Security (ASF) in the performance of law enforcement, physical security, and antiterrorism responsibilities safeguarding 65 tenant commands, 25,000 visitors, 800 buildings, $3.6 billion in NAVAIR research/development mission assets, and three fence lines. “Petty Officer Johnson’s outstanding leadership, technical expertise, and unwavering dedication to mission success and Sailor development have had a profound impact on the safety, security, and operational readiness of Naval Air Station Patuxent River,” said Lt. j.g. Paul Wilson, NAS Patuxent River Security Officer. “His ability to effectively manage complex security programs, lead high-stakes exercises, and mentor Sailors has directly contributed to the protection of critical assets and the seamless execution of force protection measures. His influence has shaped the growth and success of both his division and the broader command, fostering a culture of excellence.”
BLUEJACKET OF THE YEAR AO3 (AW/SW) Nicole Quintana Command Pay and Personnel Clerk AO3 Nicole Quintana serves in the demanding positions of Command Pay and Personnel Clerk (CPPA) and previously as a Visitor Control Center (VCC) Administrative Clerk. She maintains the financial and service records of over 250 service members, making her responsible for processing travel claims, pay entitlements, deductions, payments, collections, and allotment requests for active and reserve components. In addition, she also interprets publications and disseminates information to customers, reviews pay transactions, interprets Leave and Earnings Statements (LES), Master Military Pay Accounts (MMPA), and DOD pay and travel publications. She maintains the Enlisted Distribution Verification Reports, initiates screening for special duty assignments. As VCC Admin clerk, she served over 80 customers supporting access to operations across 65 tenant commands aboard Pax River, and managed building and base access for sponsored Military and Civilians access including to the NEX, Postal Services, and gates. “AO3 Quintana is the type of enterprising Sailor that NAS PAX benefits from because she is a catalyst for processing improvement wherever she sets her focus,” said Sanders. “She willfully seeks challenging tasks and duties wherever shortfalls or manning gaps exist with a team leading attitude.” She was hand-selected to replace a gapped command Admin position, filling the role of two first class petty officers, accepting an out-of-rate challenge with enthusiasm and showing exceptional warfighting flexibility by completing all 26 CPPA prerequisite courses in just 3 months, resulting in 72 PERS/PAY transactions during FY25. Quintana was also cited in her nomination for her one-on-one coaching approach, which ensures that all CPPAs are equipped with the knowledge they need, and decreased pay and personnel transaction turnaround time by 75 percent.
SENIOR CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR Russel Bauer Installation Training Officer Russel Bauer serves as the Installation Training Officer, and was cited for exceptional leadership and technical expertise in this role, which were imperative to the superior execution of eight major integrated exercises for real-world emergency preparedness at Pax River. During HURREX/CITADEL GALE 2026, he developed 86 unique scenario injects, representing 45 percent of Naval District Washington’s and 20 percent of U.S. Fleet Forces Command’s Master Scenario Events List. Additionally, he supported the nuclear emergency Point of Distribution exercise between the Naval Air Station Patuxent River and the Naval Health Clinic Patuxent River, resulting in the emergency preparedness of 420 households through potassium iodide distribution. Furthermore, he coordinated advanced multi-agency drills between Search" and Rescue, Fire, Emergency Services, TACMO VQ-4, and NSA South Potomac emergency operations center. His collaboration and integration with multiple critical agencies have enhanced planning, training, and response operations across Naval District Washington Region.
JUNIOR CIVILIAN OF THE YEAR Daniel Garner Airfield Services Division Subject Matter Expert Daniel Garner performed his duties as an extensive subject matter expert (SME) in the demanding field of airfield services in an exemplary and highly professional manner, which distinguished him as a true professional and a most-valued member of the Airfield Services Team. As Airfield Services Quality Assurance Supervisor (QAS) and SME, he proactively developed Quality Assurance checklist cards for all maintenance actions to ensure in-process and final inspections are conducted proficiently. Garner’s technical expertise was the driving factor in quality assurance during the replacement of 68 Wire Supports, four Cross Deck Pendants, one tape drum assembly, and three torque converter assemblies. He also served as the lead maintenance technician during the removal and replacement of emergency arresting gear engine number one where he directly led a team of six personnel in the removal, overhaul and replacement of one of the systems’ most critical safety components to function. He further contributed to the rapid response of three aircraft emergency landing and recoveries in which he provided support for the retraction operation and post operational maintenance action returning the arresting gear to a mission ready status in support of active flight operations.
SUPERVISOR OF THE YEAR Stephanie Harris Navy Housing Director, NAS Patuxent River Stephanie Harris was noted in her nomination as Pax River Supervisor of the Year as having a “willingness to go out of her way to make things better for the residents is exceptional.” Harris oversees 740 homes in addition to the Barracks with beds for 249 residents, and leads a staff of six dedicated team members who oversee the public-private partner (PPV) Liberty Military Housing (LMH). Harris and her team monitor all LMH applications, assignments, maintenance and repair, and inspection actions for all homes. “Stephanie sticks with issues until they are rightfully resolved always advocating for Sailors and their families,” noted her nomination. “Through her leadership, the Unaccompanied Housing manager and team received the highest possible customer satisfaction scores and is a top-tiered Barracks in the Commander, Navy Installations Command enterprise.” Harris’ dedication to excellence resulted in the Barracks receiving the CNIC Platinum Award for two years running.
GROUP OF THE YEAR Ground Electronics Maintenance Division In addition to the individual efforts of the Sailors and civilians recognized as the command’s best of the year, so too is a group or division within the command who through exceptional service as a team earn the title of group of the year. That title was recently bestowed on the Ground Electronics Maintenance Division (GEM). GEM consistently performed their demanding duties in an exemplary and highly professional manner, embodying what it means to be a “Teammate” and were the driving factors in their selection as the command’s Group of the Year. Their unparalleled customer service, expert technical proficiency, superior work ethic, and positive “can-do” attitude distinguished the GEM Team as true professionals and an invaluable asset of this command. Setting the benchmark for operational excellence, they achieved 100% mission capability and 99.7% Operational Availability through 10,200 man-hours of maintenance and spearheaded critical modernization projects, future-proofing Air Traffic Control capabilities while ensuring a seamless operational tempo and logistical readiness.