Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) Commander Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach announced the Shore and Sea Sailors of the Year for the Navy Information Warfare domain and the overall type command (TYCOM) Sailor of the Year (SOY) during a ceremony held at the Naval Information Forces May 4. The award recognizes the outstanding performance, leadership, and dedication of Sailors from global commands across the information warfare domain.
Leading up to the awards ceremony May 4, the NAVIFOR Sailors of the Year gathered in Suffolk for three days of learning, networking, and professional development, as well as exploring Navy heritage sites in the Hampton Roads area. The week will culminate with the selection of the top Sailor from both Sea and Shore commands and the overall Type Command (TYCOM) Sailor of the Year for the Information Warfare domain.
IW Sailors of the Year (Sea) include:
CTT1(IW/AW/SW) Brandon Galbraith, Naval Information Warfare Training Group - San Diego
STS1(SS) Jeremy Galli, Farragut Technical Analysis Center, Office of Naval Intelligence
CTT1(IW/SG/NAC/AW/SW) Shelby Parmentier, Navy Information Operations Command Georgia
AG1(IW/AW/SW) Russell Rose, Strike Group Oceanography Team - San Diego
IW Sailors of the Year (Shore) include:
AG1(IW/EXW/AW) Deserae Laczniak, Fleet Weather Center San Diego
IT1(IW/SW/AW) Brian Shainin, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples, Italy
YN1(IW/SW/AW) Natalie Vela, Office of Naval Intelligence
IS1(IW/EXW/SCW/SW) Adrian White, Naval Information Warfighting Development Center – NIWDC
The IW Sailor of the Year (Reserve) is YN1(AW) Keturah Milford, Naval Information Force Reserve Region, Mid-Atlantic
“Achieving Sailor of the Year recognition at the command level is difficult. Making it to the Immediate Superior in Charge (ISIC) level is a remarkable achievement, and then making it to the TYCOM level is eye watering,” said NAVIFOR Force Master Chief Laura Nunley at the award ceremony May 4. “These nine Sailors have done just that. They have set themselves apart in every arena. They are technical experts, exceptional leaders, standout mentors, and are the true example of meeting and exceeding every standard we set for our Navy. They are force multipliers and I expect all of them to influence the Navy for many years to come.”
NAVIFOR Commander Vice Adm. Kelly Aeschbach also highlighted the importance of recognizing the Sailors of the Year and their importance to information warfare.
“This is our opportunity to recognize our rising leaders. We have assembled a group here this week that is indeed eye-watering. Information Warfare is in demand – and I struggle to meet that demand,” said Aeschbach. “But when I sleep at night, I sleep really well, as I’ve met and I’ve had the opportunity to work with individuals like you who help ensure we remain in competition.”
Cryptologic Technicians Technical First Class (IW/AW/SW) Brandon Galbraith, Naval Information Warfare Training Group, San Diego, was named the Sea SOY. Information Systems Technician First Class (IW/SW/AW) Brian Shainin, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Naples, Italy was named the Shore Sailor of the Year.
The finalists for the 2023 NAVIFOR Sailor of the Year were all exceptional, noted Nunley, but there can only be one TYCOM winner. The announcement was met with a standing ovation as Information Systems Technician First Class Brian Shainin was named the NAVIFOR TYCOM Sailor of the Year.
“I want to give a special thanks to my family, including my wife Isabel and my parents, and to my chain of command and my Sailors. I wouldn’t be here without them,” said Shainin.
Shainin also had some words of advice to share with Sailors aspiring to be recognized as their command’s SOY.
“Take care of yourself, take care of the people around you, and stay technical!” said Shainin.
The Navy’s Sailor of the Year program is a time-honored tradition introduced in 1972 by then-Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet. This annual competition is held to recognize superior performance of individual Sailors who exceed in personifying the ideals of the Navy Core Values.
NAVIFOR’s mission is to generate, directly and through our leadership of the IW Enterprise, agile and technically superior manned, trained, equipped, and certified combat-ready IW forces to ensure our Navy will decisively DETER, COMPETE, and WIN.
For more information on NAVIFOR, visit the command Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NavalInformationForces/ or the public web page at https://www.navifor.usff.navy.mil.
Date Taken: | 05.05.2023 |
Date Posted: | 05.05.2023 11:16 |
Story ID: | 444104 |
Location: | SUFFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
Web Views: | 1,423 |
Downloads: | 0 |
This work, NAVIFOR Announces IW Domain Sailors of the Year, by Joshua Rodriguez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.