US Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) recently selected Sailors of the Year (SOY) for for Shore, U.S. Pacific Fleet Sea, U.S. Fleet Forces Sea, and U.S. Navy Reserve, respectively.
In four separate ceremonies, Steelworker 1st Class Brenton Heisserer, Logistics Specialist 1st Class Blanca Sanchez, Boatswain’s Mate 1st Class Joe Mendoza, and Construction Mechanic 1st Class Jimie Bartholomew were notified they had been selected as Sailors of the Year (SOY).
These selectees competed against recipients from other commands at the highest echelons of the Navy’s SOY program. They will be presented their chief petty officer appointment letters from the CNO during a capstone pinning ceremony hosted by the MCPON.
The SOY program was established in 1972 by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Elmo Zumwalt and Master Chief Petty Officer of the Navy John Whittet to recognize an individual Sailor who best represented the ever-growing group of dedicated professional Sailors at each command and ultimately the Navy.
When the program began, only the Atlantic and Pacific Fleet Sailors were recognized. Within ten years, the SOY program was expanded to include the shore establishment and Navy Reserve Sailors.
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Image: US Navy