NAS Jax Announces 2004 Sailor Of The Year

By JO2(SCW) Eric Clay - Assistant Editor

NAS Jacksonville announced MS1(SW/AW) Anthony Williams as its 2004 Sailor of the Year last Friday at a luncheon held at the Zone.

“I am overjoyed and overwhelmed. I am in awe that I was chosen as the Sailor of the Year,” said Williams. The new Sailor of the Year title will definitely influence his Navy career, but Williams plans to continue doing things as he always has.

“ I am not going to change the way that I do things because I believe the positive attitude that got me here will continue to work for me in the future,” he commented.

As the NAS Jacksonville Sailor of the Year, Williams will compete in the Commander, Navy Region Southeast Sailor of the Year competition in mid-January.

A native of Tarboro, N.C., Williams joined the Navy in 1991 after graduating from Tarboro High School. He has been supported throughout his Navy career by his wife, Terry and his son, Joshua-Anthony.

“I want to thank my family for all of their love and support, without them none of this could be possible,” he said.

After completing boot camp at Recruit Training Center, San Diego, and Basic Acoustic Level Analyses School in which he finished in the top 20 percentile of his class, Williams received orders to USS Ortalon (ASR-22). He then laterally converted to Mess Management Specialist (MS) and attended MS “A” School in San Diego.

In September 1993, he reported to Norfolk, Va., for duty on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71). There he was assigned duties as watch captain and served with the ship’s brig as part of the security force. His next tour was at NAS Cecil Field, where he was promoted to second class petty officer.

In July 1998, he transferred to Commander, Cruiser-Destroyer Group 12, deploying on board USS Enterprise (CVN 65) and acting as an ambassador of goodwill serving numerous distinquished visitors and government officials. While at sea, he earned both his surface warfare and aviation warfare specialist qualifications. He was also selected Junior Sailor of the Year.

Presently, Williams is assigned to NAS Jax as the Combined Bachelor Quarters Complex manager.

In his off-duty time, Williams has supported the community and the Navy by volunteering for Jacksonville HabiJax and Special Olympics. He is also a member of the NAS Jax Multicultural Committee.

Williams was also selected as a NAS Jax Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) Loaned Executive where he worked with more than 120 tenant activities and was directly responsible for the command exceeding their goal. This year, he helped to raise more than $600,000 for the CFC.

In the future, Williams plans to pursue his goal of being commissioned officer. “I am two classes away from earning my bachelor’s degree in work force education from Southern Illinois University and then I will submit my officer’s package,” he commented.

William’s advice for junior Sailors is to work hard and stay dedicated to the Navy. “I have a goal to be the best that I can be and I work hard to achieve that goal everyday,” he concluded.