Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Cole Schroeder | PORT ORCHARD, Wash. (April 13, 2018) Lt. Cmdr. Mike Dasch, left, from San Diego,...... read more read more
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The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), paired with The John C. Stennis Foundation, recognized three exceptional Sailors and leaders during a Stennis Foundation Leadership Award Ceremony, April 13, at the McCormick Woods banquet hall in Port Orchard, Washington.
“We have a very broad mission of promoting and strengthening public service leadership in America,” said Buffington.
According to Rex, when the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) was created, the foundation was still fairly new, but they were heavily involved from the beginning. This involvement lead to the creation of a lasting leadership award program which recognizes individuals with superior leadership qualities. This award eventually spread throughout the carrier platform, making its way to eight ships total.
Buffington, the keynote speaker at the event, worked as the press secretary for Mississippi Senator, John C. Stennis for 12 years before becoming the executive director of the future organization in 1988.
“We have a wide variety of programs,” said Buffington. “We have programs for high school students and also for newly elected United States senators. We try and keep a broad reach.”
Within these programs, the Foundation takes time each year to acknowledge three Sailors from Nimitz, and Sailors from seven other aircraft carriers in recognition of outstanding leadership.
Lt. Cmdr. Michael J. Dasch, from San Diego, Nimitz’s ordnance handling officer was awarded the 2017 Commander in Chief Pacific (CINCPAC) Award, Senior Chief Engineman Nicholas R. Snead, from Woodland, Washington, was awarded the 2017 5-Star Award, and Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Fuel) 1st Class Derrick A. Burns, from Topeka, Kansas, was awarded the 2017 Pacific Thunder Award.
When talking with these individuals before the ceremony, they humbled themselves and gave credit where it was earned.
“For me to receive an award in a leadership category, it’s important to remember that I didn’t do any of it alone,” said Dasch. “I have the backing of all of weapons department.”
“It’s extremely humbling,” said Burns. “This was an all hands win, and I have to give credit to all my junior Sailors.”
Snead also directed his credit to those that worked for him during a busy 2017.
“It’s not just a win for me, it’s a win our whole department, and all of our guys,” said Snead.
There is one major trait that groups all three of these individuals together, and it is the humbling attitude that sheds light on the work done by those around them.
The three 2017 award winners from Nimitz have gone above and beyond over the course of the year, lighting the path and showing the way for others behind them to follow. They are true examples of great leaders that take action and teach others through showing, not by telling.
-USS NIMITZ (CVN 68)-
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2018 |
| Date Posted: | 04.20.2018 02:00 |
| Story ID: | 273791 |
| Location: | PORT ORCHARD, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 604 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Nimitz Sailors Receive Leadership Awards, by PO3 Cole Schroeder, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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