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    Hicks Earns Military Excellence Award at Recruit Training Command

    Hicks Earns Military Excellence Award at Recruit Training Command

    Photo By Marc Lindsay | Airman Tristan Hicks graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command,...... read more read more

    GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, UNITED STATES

    09.06.2024

    Story by Marc Lindsay 

    U.S. Navy Recruit Training Command

    GREAT LAKES (NNS) – Airman Tristan Hicks graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award (MEA) September 5, 2024.

    Hicks, from Pierce, Colorado, said he enlisted for a variety of reasons, including the opportunity for personal growth.

    “I wanted a career that was meaningful and would help me to develop as a person,” says Hicks. “To be able to look in the mirror when I retire and say that I’m proud of what I accomplished is important to me. Joining the Navy will allow me to do that while also providing opportunities for me to grow personally and professionally.”

    Hicks, 20, graduated from Highland High School, where he was a member of the National Honor Society and the theater club. After high school, Hicks attended Aims Community College where he studied emergency medicine and wildland firefighting.

    The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing, and teamwork. The award places him at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Hicks is awarded a flag letter of commendation as part of his recognition.
    The award, according to Hicks, is the best possible first step to start his naval career.

    “When I first got to boot camp, I didn’t know there were awards for recruits,” says Hicks. “My goal was just to work as hard as possible and prove to myself that this was something I could do. Once I was put into a leadership position, my mindset switched. It wasn’t just about me anymore. I needed to make sure we were succeeding as team. That was my whole focus, and so when I found out I was going to receive an award for it, I was completely shocked. I can say now that I’m honored and excited for the future, as receiving this award has shown me that it’s the difficult things that you go through that end up meaning the most.”

    Hicks’ RDCs (Recruit Division Commanders) are Chief Electrician’s Mate (EMC) Freddy Urenavasquez, Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 1st Class (ABH1) Eric Velez and Aviation Structural Mechanic 2nd Class (AM2) Tykie Nunn, and they guided him through the 10-week process.

    “All of my RDCs challenged us to become the best possible Sailors we could be for the fleet,” he said. “They pushed us hard but also let us know that nothing they did or said was personal. All of their actions were meant to prepare us for our future in the Navy and teach us what we need to do to succeed. I learned a lot from their experiences and will remember everything they shared with me throughout my career.”

    Additionally, Hicks said his family helped push him to success.

    “My biggest source of motivation has always been my family,” Hicks said. “They have always supported me in whatever I wanted to do, and most of the success I’ve had here is just my desire to make them proud. I wanted to show them I can be the man they raised me to be. When things were tough, I kept them in the back of my mind and tried to honor them in any way that I could.”

    Hicks said his biggest challenge was learning to communicate effectively with such a wide range of people.

    “When you’re in a leadership position, it can be tough to have a positive attitude all the time,” he said. “Everyone here is from a different place and has different experiences. Learning how to incorporate a wide variety of perspectives and figure out how a task could be done most effectively was difficult at times. We butted heads a lot at first, but through those hardships we learned how to come together as a team. No one person can have success alone, so it’s an important lesson to learn. Your differences can make you stronger as a unit once you recognize how to utilize everyone’s strengths.”

    After graduation, Hicks will attend Aircrew Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida, where he must volunteer for flying duty, be capable of passing a Class II swim test, and pass an aviation flight physical.

    Training at RTC is approximately 10 weeks, 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.

    NEWS INFO

    Date Taken: 09.06.2024
    Date Posted: 09.06.2024 10:01
    Story ID: 480236
    Location: GREAT LAKES, ILLINOIS, US
    Hometown: PIERCE, COLORADO, US

    Web Views: 364
    Downloads: 0

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