Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Tyler Slavicek | Sailors from PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79) help clean up a local community.... read more read more
The Ford-class aircraft carrier Pre-Commissioning Unit (PCU) John F. Kennedy’s (CVN 79) Coalition of Sailors Against Destructive Decisions (CSADD) chapter was nominated for the 12th annual Bob Feller Act of Valor Award on August 1.
The John F. Kennedy’s CSADD chapter created numerous opportunities in 2024 for their junior Sailors to learn, develop, socialize, and volunteer throughout the year. “We were successful in organizing a variety of events and volunteer opportunities,” said Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Darien Kenney, a John F. Kennedy CSADD board member who organized and led the program. “Our most impactful event was a bold initiative: collaborating with the USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) to organize a lively, competitive field day that brought together 2,300 Sailors.”
The Bob Feller Act of Valor Foundation established the award in 2013 to honor the late Robert “Bob” Feller, a Major League Baseball (MLB) pitcher, National Baseball Hall of Fame (NBHOF) inductee, and Navy veteran.
Feller, who stepped away from professional baseball in 1941 shortly after the bombing of Pearl Harbor, volunteered to enlist in the U.S. Navy during World War II. As a Chief Petty Officer (CPO) serving aboard the battleship USS Alabama (BB 60), Feller, a gun captain, fought in both the North Atlantic and South Pacific theaters during World War II, earning eight battle stars.
This prestigious award is presented annually to one active MLB player, one NBHOF inductee, and one CPO. It also recognizes a group of Sailors, aged 18-25, who have effectively worked together as a team to promote peer-to-peer mentorship and reduce destructive decision-making and behavior among Sailors, both afloat and ashore.
Cryptologic Technicians Technical Senior Chief Scott Searcy, John F. Kennedy’s Intelligence Department’s division leading chief petty officer and a mentor for the command’s CSADD chapter, recognized the impact the CSADD chapter was having not only on the Sailors at their command, but also on other Navy commands and across their local communities. He nominated the team for the Bob Feller peer-to-peer award for their efforts.
“It’s a great honor [to be nominated for the award]. Bob Feller was a beast in baseball and an absolute icon in the Navy,” said Searcy. “You say ‘Bob Feller’ to any CPO, and we know immediately who you are talking about because he is that big of a deal. For our CSADD team to be out here crushing it, doing all these great things in the spirit of Bob Feller—it was an easy nomination for me.”
The nomination for the Bob Feller Act of Valor Award was announced to the John F. Kennedy crew by Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy James Honea during a scheduled visit. During the visit, Honea emphasized the importance of being a good citizen to the local community, continuing to improve themselves as Sailors, and making a positive difference in their shipmates’ lives.
“If you’re always trying to make yourself better, make your shipmates’ lives better for having known you, and always trying to make your command better, you can’t help but be successful,” said Honea.
CSADD is a Navy-wide volunteer mentorship program implemented at many Navy commands to create a network that promotes a culture of positive decision-making through various leadership training, recreational activities, and community service events that help reduce destructive decision-making and behavior among junior Sailors.
The Bob Feller Foundation will announce award winners at the 2024 Bob Feller Act of Valor Award Ceremony, held later this year at the United States Navy Memorial’s Heritage Center in Washington, D.C.
| Date Taken: | 09.02.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 09.10.2024 08:28 |
| Story ID: | 480470 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 129 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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PCU John F. Kennedy (CVN 79)
