NAS Jax honors first-quarter SOQs

CMDCM(AW/SW) Gary Dryer, command master chief (CMC) of VP-30, served as guest speaker during the luncheon. He opened with a bit of comedy.

"Good afternoon and welcome to the luncheon. I was honored and somewhat surprised when I was asked to be the guest speaker for the SOQ luncheon by CMDCM(SW) Chris Green, NAS Jax CMC, as he knows my vocabulary is limited and at times colorful."

Dryer went on to a more serious note, describing the theme of his speech. "At events like these, it customary to speak of leadership and what it means to be a SOQ, but I have something else in mind. Three weeks ago, as I was sitting in my command's senior enlisted board, one of our more senior first class petty officers made the statement, 'I just don't know about Sailors coming in the Navy today.' For some reason that statement stuck with me."

MA3 Esther Goodman, Junior Sailor of the Quarter for the Naval Legal Service Office, shakes hands with Vice President NAS Jax Branch, VyStar Credit Union Bob Harrington after receiving her award envelope during the Sailor of the Quarter luncheon at the NAS Jax Officers' Club April 25.

Dryer then described his experience with some of the Navy's newest Sailors.

"Last week I had the pleasure of visiting boot camp, as VP-30 is actively sponsoring recruit divisions. We commissioned Division 186 aboard the barracks of USS Arizona. It's great to go to the commissioning of a division as you get to see young recruits as raw and green as they'll ever be," said Dryer. "At the end of the commissioning day, we got to sit down for a question and answer session with the recruits about the fleet and any concerns they may have. There was one common concern for many of them, which was when they were going to Iraq. They joined the Navy knowing that going to Iraq and being put in harms way was a possibility."

Sailors of the Quarter Commander, Patrol and Reconnaissance Eleven Sailor of the Quarter STG1(SW/IUSS) Randall Figueron Junior Sailor of the Quarter AW2(AW) Frederick Weiss VP-5 Senior Sailor of the Quarter AD1(AW) Jeremy Johnson Sailor of the Quarter AT2(AW) Jeremiah LaFountain Blue Jacket of the Quarter AE3(AW) Orion Adams VP-45 Sailor of the Quarter AW1(AW/NEC) Thomas George Junior Sailor of the Quarter AW2(AW/NEC) Samuel Duca VP-30 Senior Sailor of the Quarter AW1(AW/NAC) Ryan Kelly Sailor of the Quarter SK2(SW/AW) Pe'atra Wilson Junior Sailor of the Quarter AD3(AW) Guillermo Lopez Blue Jacket of the Quarter SKSN Jessica Ardis VP-16 Senior Sailor of the Quarter AT1 Gregory Wood Sailor of the Quarter AW2 Aliye Fulton Junior Sailor of the Quarter AN Joseph Nunez Commander, Helicopter Sea Combat Wing Atlantic Sailor of the Quarter AZ1 Reginald Stiles HS-7 Sailor of the Quarter AD1(AW) Terence Dunbar Junior Sailor of the Quarter HM2 Christopher Jones Blue Jacket of the Quarter AMAN Crystal Johnson HS-15 Sailor of the Quarter AZ1(AW) Cristopher Plumlee Junior Sailor of the Quarter SK2(AW/SW) Douglas Scott Blue Jacket of the Quarter AMAN Brian Beadle Sea Control Wing Atlantic Sailor of the Quarter AM1 Erick Kitchen Junior Sailor of the Quarter AZ2 Marilyn Fulmore Rescue Swimmer School Sailor of the Quarter AW2(AW/NAC) Terry O'Dell Junior Sailor of the Quarter FC2 Benito Martinez Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit Jax Sailor of the Quarter AE1(AW) Miguel Jiminez Instructor of the Quarter AT1(AW) Breshen Whitson Junior Instructor of the Quarter AT2(AW) Keven Strafalace Junior Marine of the Quarter Sgt. Jonathan Grubb Naval Reserve Readiness Command Southeast Sailor of the Quarter PS1 Pam Enzenbachner Blue Jacket of the Quarter YN2 Toney Kinsey Air Operations Blue Jacket of the Quarter ACAN Erik Skogen Fleet Readiness Center Southeast Shore Senior Sailor of the Quarter AT1 Jerry Styf Sailor of the Quarter AS2 Joycelyn Calloway Junior Sailor of the Quarter AE3 Terri Myre Blue Jacket of the Quarter AEAN Jessica Peterson Sea Sailor of the Quarter AT2 Michael Haber Junior Sailor of the Quarter AD3 Naquita Foster Blue Jacket of the Quarter AMAN Robyn Smith Naval Computer and Telecommunications Station Sailor of the Quarter IT1 Robert Haynes Junior Sailor of the Quarter ITSN Glory Smith Fleet Area Çontrol and Surveillance Facility Jacksonville Senior Sailor of the Quarter AC1(AW) Brian Kerns Junior Sailor of the Quarter AC3 Darrick Yeager NAS Jax Senior Sailor of the Quarter MA1 Barion Haywood Junior Sailor of the Quarter MA2 Robert Calabro Naval Hospital Jacksonville Senior Sailor of the Quarter HM1 Roy Streicher Sailor of the Quarter SK2 Anton Niblett Blue Jacket of the Quarter HN Rolando Brooks Southeast Region Calibration Center Sailor of the Quarter IC1(SW) James Whitehead Junior Sailor of the Quarter EM2(SW/AW) Samuel Wondu Naval Legal Service Office Southeast Junior Sailor of the Quarter MA3 Esther Goodman Transient Personnel Unit Jacksonville Sailor of the Quarter DC1(SW) Andrae Johnson Junior Sailor of the Quarter ABE2 Tanisha Prins Navy Operational Support Center Sailor of the Quarter YN1(AW) Shergala Ross Junior Sailor of the Quarter SK2 Joshua Tips Blue Jacket of the Quarter AMAN Lars Erlandson

He continued with further examples of the Navy's younger Sailors. "I had a third class petty officer checking into my command recently. She had both her enlisted aviation warfare and enlisted surface warfare specialist pins and she was and still is continuing her off-duty education. She also set up a drive at the beginning of the school year to collect school supplies for needy children and volunteers for Habitat for Humanity," noted Dryer. "She is also one of my SOQs here today. The only negative thing I can say about her is that she's applying to be an officer. So, what's wrong with Sailors coming in the Navy today?"

"I also have a young Sailor who came in undesignated because she hadn't obtained her citizenship yet. I saw her again recently and asked her what her future career plans were. She said, 'master chief, I want to go to the Naval Academy,'" stated Dryer. "At that point I found she had obtained citizenship, completed her package for the Naval Academy and had gotten in touch with advisors there. She had even completed the commanding officer's endorsement letter, which only needed his signature. She did all of this on her own."

"Another Sailor, an AW2, returned from a six-month deployment with VP-45 and then gave up his shore duty billet for a one-year position in Iraq. After his deployment in Iraq, he returned to VP-45 who is getting ready to deploy again," said Dryer. "Again, I ask you what's wrong with the Sailors coming in the Navy today?"

He continued on stating, "We could focus on the two percent of Sailors who don't do what they're supposed to do or we could dismiss them and focus on the 98 percent of the Sailors who are coming in the Navy while our nation is at war and will be put to higher standards than many other Sailors have had to endure."

He then asked all the attending SOQs to stand, saying, "Ladies, gentlemen and shipmates, these are the future of our Navy. They are the future CMCs and even commanding officers. From where I'm standing I can say, there is absolutely nothing wrong with our Sailors coming in the Navy today."

After Dryer completed his speech, all in attendance lined up at the buffets for a western-style lunch featuring barbeque pork and chicken. Following lunch, each of the SOQs were called to the front to receive their award envelope which contained a letter of recognition, $50 savings bond courtesy of VyStar Credit Union and a coupon book from the NAS Jax Morale, Welfare and Recreation Department. Some randomly selected Sailors also received extra gifts including a $50 coupon to Applebee's for every week of the upcoming year, a ticket for two to board the SunCruz Casino boat and two free nights at a Quality Inn.

The CMC's office will notify all commands of the upcoming deadlines for next quarter's SOQ lists via e-mail.

HM1 Roy Streicher, Senior Sailor of the Quarter for Naval Hospital Jacksonville, receives his award envelope as he shakes hands with NAS Jax Commanding Officer Capt. Chip Dobson, Vice President NAS Jax Branch, VyStar Credit Union Bob Harrington and Quality Inn Representative Pui Sing Tang.