GREAT LAKES (NNS)– Airman Henrry Hernandez Escobar graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) Jan. 29, 2026.
Hernandez Escobar, 23, of Wallingford, Connecticut, said receiving the Navy’s highest recruit honor was both surreal and affirming.
“When I first learned I had earned the Military Excellence Award, it felt unreal,” he said. “For a moment, I genuinely thought it had to be a mistake. Then I thought about the long days, the pressure, and the effort it took to push myself every day. Once it settled in, it gave me a sense of calm. It reminded me that in the Navy, hard work doesn’t go unnoticed, and if you listen, learn, and put in the effort, you will succeed.”
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 his recognition, Hernandez Escobar received a flag letter of commendation.
Hernandez Escobar said his decision to join the Navy was rooted in both personal ambition and family legacy.
“My parents immigrated to this country more than 20 years ago with the hope that their children would become hardworking, contributing members of society,” he said. “After graduating college, I realized my work wasn’t finished. At my age, with the drive my parents instilled in me, I knew I could reach higher. Even if it meant early mornings, long nights, and missing important moments, I knew this was something I had to do.”
Hernandez Escobar graduated from Lyman Hall High School in Wallingford, where he competed in varsity football and varsity indoor and outdoor track, serving as team captain his senior year. He went on to earn an associate’s degree in automotive technology from Gateway Community College in New Haven, graduating first in his class, and later completed a bachelor’s degree in general studies with a concentration in business management from Southern Connecticut State University, graduating cum laude.
His Recruit Division Commanders were Senior Chief Michelle Small, Chief Farzan Hosein, Petty Officer 1st Class Henry Branham, and Petty Officer 2nd Class Diego Lozano Hernandez. Hernandez Escobar credits them and the relationships he built within his division for his success.
“One RDC who really stood out was Petty Officer Lozano Hernandez,” he said. “During P-days, he gave me a lot of constructive criticism, and instead of breaking me down, it lit a fire in me. Day by day, that fire grew. He pushed me to be better, and because of that, I see a different Sailor in the mirror now—someone who refuses to settle for less and who wants to make his parents proud.”
He also credited his shipmate, Seaman Dairon Lopez Aleman, as a major source of motivation throughout training.
“We pushed each other from the beginning,” Hernandez Escobar said. “Some days I helped him, some days he helped me. When things got tough, I knew I had to keep going—not just for myself, but to set the example. That award isn’t just about my effort; it reflects the people who stood beside me every day.”
Hernandez Escobar said the greatest challenge of boot camp was learning to operate under constant pressure.
“Every important event at boot camp brings stress,” he said. “You’re constantly tested, mentally and physically. Over time, I learned how to manage that stress, stay calm, and trust the training. Eventually, those situations stopped feeling overwhelming and started feeling like opportunities to perform and improve.”
Following graduation, Hernandez Escobar will continue his training at Aircrewmen "A" school in Pensacola, Florida, for training in aviation theory and technical knowledge, aviation electrical systems and electronics theory.
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.