CSS-15 Recognizes Sailors of the Year

Photo By Chief Petty Officer Kelsey Eades | AGAT, Guam (Mar. 6, 2020) Electricians Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Joe Severin, assigned to the Performance Monitoring Team at Commander, Submarine Squadron 15, from Seal Beach, Calif., teaches students about a thermal imager, used for electrical maintenance, during a career day at Marcial A. Sablan Elementary School. CSS-15 is responsible for providing training, material, and personnel readiness support to four Los Angeles-class fast attack submarine commands located at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelsey J. Hockenberger)  

SANTA RITA, GUAM

12.15.2020

Courtesy Story

Commander, Submarine Squadron 15

Santa Rita, Guam (Dec. 15, 2020) –Commander, Submarine Squadron 15 announced its Sailors of the Year during an all hands call at Konetzni Hall, Dec 15.

Capt. Bret Grabbe and Command Master Chief Eric Baker announced Electrician’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Joe Severin as Senior Sailor of the Year and Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Kelsey Hockenberger as the Junior Sailor of the Year.

“We have a lot of high performing Sailors at our command,” said Baker. “Each one of them has worked hard throughout the year to ensure that our forward-deployed submarine force remains operationally ready. Petty Officers Severin and Hockenberger represent the dedication and professionalism that we see squadron-wide.”

Severin, a native of Los Alamitos, California, serves as a member of the First Class Petty Officer Association and is a command Sexual Assault, Prevention, and Response (SAPR) victim advocate.

“Being selected as the Senior Sailor of the Year is a tremendous opportunity,” said Severin. ‘It’s a reflection of all of the hard work put in during day-to-day operations. I feel honored to represent the squadron and to highlight our efforts in supporting submarines in the Pacific.”

Hockenberger, a native of Hudson, Wisconsin, is the president of the Morale, Welfare, and Recreation Committee, a submarine birthday ball committee member, and serves as the Command Fitness Leader.

“It’s an honor to be recognized within the submarine community,” said Hockenberger. “My peers are outstanding Sailors who continually motivate myself and others to make a difference within the command and our local Guam community.”

The command SSOY and JSOY were selected by a board of senior judges during an interview process, testing each nominee’s knowledge of U.S. Naval history, programs and policies, basic military requirements, current events and leadership. Military bearing and record of job performance were also taken into consideration.

The Chief of Naval Operations established the SOY program in 1972 to recognize outstanding Sailors around the fleet.

CSS-15 is located at Polaris Point, Naval Base Guam in Piti, Guam, and consists of four Los Angeles-class fast attack submarines. The squadron staff is responsible for providing training, material and personnel readiness support to these commands. Also based out of Naval Base Guam are submarine tenders USS Frank Cable (AS 40) and USS Emory S. Land (AS 39). The submarines and tenders are maintained as part of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed submarine force and are readily capable of meeting global operational requirements.

For more news from Commander, Submarine Squadron 15, visit our official CSS-15 website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/css15 and our official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/SubmarineSquadron15/.

Are you interested in taking orders to Guam? Want to learn more about the duty station and life on our island? For more information, check out the ‘Go Guam!’ website at http://www.csp.navy.mil/go-guam/ and download the ‘1st Fifteen’ checklist.

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• Date Taken: 12.15.2020
• Date Posted: 12.14.2020 19:47
• Story ID: 384964
• Location: SANTA RITA, GU
• Hometown: HUDSON, WISCONSIN, US
• Hometown: LOS ALAMITOS, CALIFORNIA, US