USS New Orleans Elects PHIBRON 1 SSOY

A Sailor assigned to amphibious transport dock ship USS New Orleans (LPD 18) was named Amphibious Squadron One (PHIBRON 1) 2014 Senior Sailor of the Year (SSOY), Dec. 5.

Hospital Corpsman 1st Class (SW) Mara Gonzales, who has been assigned to New Orleans for the past two years, was announced as the recipient of the prestigious award during an awards ceremony held aboard the ship.

Gonzales had been previously selected as the ship’s SSOY.

Her prior duty assignments include Navy Medical Center Portsmouth in Portsmouth, Virginia; Naval Branch Health Clinic Bahrain; Naval Branch Health Clinic in Little Creek, Virginia, and Recruit Training Command in Great Lakes.

Gonzalez will next participate in the competition for the Expeditionary Strike Group Three (ESG 3) SSOY title.

New Orleans’ command leadership also recognized three other Sailors this month: Gunners Mate 2nd Class Haley Kurkowski as the Sailor of the Year; Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Christopher Rossmeisl was selected for Junior Sailor of the Year; and Fireman Joseph Harris was selected for Blue Jacket of the Year.

Press release, Image. US Navy