DVIDS – News – SUBLANT announces sailors of the year 2022

Commander Submarine Force Atlantic (COMSUBLANT) announced the Shore and Sailors of the Year (SOY) during a ceremony aboard Naval Support Activity Hampton Roads, April 21.

Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Paul Baker, commanding officer of finalist Submarine Squadron Eight, has been named Submarine Force Atlantic’s Sea SOY (SUBLANT). Submarine Force Atlantic finalist Yeoman 1st Class Kirk Lewis has been named SUBLANT’s Shore SOY.

Baker, assigned to the Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Newport News (SSN 750), won his boat and squadron’s SOY competition before winning SUBLANT’s Sea SOY. As a result of his victory, he will be pinned to the rank of chief petty officer after completing this year’s Navy Chief Petty Officer Induction.

“I am extremely grateful to have the opportunity to be selected as Sailor of the Year,” Baker said. “I was proud to represent my command and my squadron. It was a great competition because all the sailors showed the qualities needed to be a great leader at the next level. I can’t wait to see them in the fleet.

Lewis, who serves as SUBLANT’s Chief of Staff, Administrative Support, is responsible for processing flag-level correspondence, coordinating travel and meetings for all submarine and strategic commands. Americans.

“It’s an honor to be selected as Sailor of the Year by leadership,” Lewis said. “It means that my supervisors, leaders and sailors under me believed in me. I couldn’t have gotten this far without them.

Vice Admiral William Houston, Commander of the Submarine Forces, spoke of the dedication and professionalism of the finalists during the ceremony.

“Enlisted sailors have always been the backbone of our Navy since its inception,” Houston said. “Seeing our finalists here today reminds us of how dedicated our sailors are to our country and accomplish the mission. This milestone shows how much their leadership values ​​their professionalism, work ethic and dedication. I am confident that they will all become outstanding leaders and continue to exemplify the best of our enlisted force.

SUBLANT Force Master Chief Steve Bosco expressed the difficulty of selecting SOY Sea and Shore, as all of the finalists represented the best of the forces’ enlisted sailors.

“The finalists certainly made it difficult to pick a winner because they all showed the best qualities the underwater force has to offer,” Bosco said. “Their hard work and commitment has been recognized by the leadership and they are all certainly deserving of SOY. I am immensely proud of all of them and look forward to seeing them grow into the next generation of enlisted leaders of submarine forces.

As COMSUBLANT’s Shore Sailor of the Year, Lewis will compete in the 2022 Commander, US Fleet Forces Command Sailor of the Year competition.

The Sailor of the Year is an age-old tradition introduced in 1972 by Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Elmo Zumwalt and Senior Navy Petty Officer John Whittet. This annual competition is held to recognize the superior performance of individual sailors, who best exemplify the ideals of the professional sailor throughout the fleet.

The Submarine Force carries out the mission of the Department of the Navy in and from the submarine realm. In addition to giving additional capability to naval forces, the submarine force, in particular, should take advantage of the special advantages that come with submarine concealment to enable operational, deterrent and combat effects that the navy and nation cannot. could not get otherwise.

The submarine force and supporting organizations constitute the main submarine arm of the navy. Submarines and their crews remain the tip of the underwater spear.