USS Makin Island Wins Golden Anchor

The amphibious assault ship USS Makin Island (LHD 8) earned the Retention Excellence Award for fiscal year 2014 by Naval Surfaces Force Pacific in a message received Jan. 15.

This year marks the eighth consecutive year Makin Island earned the Retention Excellence Award.

The Retention Excellence Award, also known as the Golden Anchor, recognizes commands that meet or exceed retention goals for the year. Makin Island exceeded the established minimum goals with retention rates of 51 percent for Sailors in the first six years of service, 83 percent for Sailors with six to 10 years of service, and 78 percent for Sailors with more than 10 years of service.

As a Retention Excellence Award winner, the command’s personnel are given permission to paint the ship’s anchor gold as a symbol of their achievement. The golden anchor speaks volumes to the command and surrounding ships.

Makin Island, the flagship of the Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group, is on a deployment with the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit to promote peace and freedom of the seas by providing security and stability in the 7th Fleet area of operations.

Image: US Navy