Submarine School Selects 2006 Sailor of the Year

GROTON, Conn. (NNS) -- Cryptologic Technician (Administrative) 1st Class Christie Seerden was named Submarine School's 2006 Sailor of the Year Nov. 17.

Seerden, a staff member of the Submarine Surveillance and Equipment Program (SSEP), is Submarine School's special security representative (SSR) responsible for the management of 52 officer and enlisted top secret/ sensitive compartmented information (TS/SCI) billets.
As Submarine School's naval activities control officer (NACO), she oversees local program administration and compliance for submarine special security requirements.

Master Chief Sonar Technician (Submarine) (SS) Joseph Anderson said in his nomination package that Seerden deserved the honor.

"[Her] unrelenting focus on mission and zero-defect mentality have been cornerstones to the outstanding reputation of Naval Submarine School's security programs. She possesses unimpeachable integrity and provides the command forceful backup on all security matters with discretion and candor. She is one of the most highly motivated first class petty officers I have worked with. Her personal standards make her the model Sailor," Anderson said.

Seerden has a daunting list of responsibilities and a dazzling resume of achievements, ranging from coordinating weekly intelligence briefings for Commander, Submarine Group 2 and the major commanders at Naval Submarine Base, expanding Submarine School's Sailor of the Quarter/Sailor of the Year instruction to include recognizing junior Sailors, scoring an 'outstanding' in the fall 2005, spring 2006 and fall 2006 Physical Readiness Test (with the highest scores in Submarine School), to serving as her department's Toys-for-Tots coordinator and volunteering for a community soup kitchen.

Seerden said she is uncomfortable with talk about being a 'model' but she has a year to get used to it. She admits to being surprised at her nomination almost as much as her selection as Submarine School's 2006 Sailor of the Year.

"Submarine School has a big staff with a lot of great people, many of whom are involved in the mainstream job of training. I provide cryptologic support to the Acoustic Intelligence Specialists team. So, considering my position, the recognition is a little surprising. None of this would've happened without my division and department leadership," she said.

The Navy is part of a family tradition, though her path, she said, may be a bit less-traveled.

"My older brother joined the Navy so I followed his lead after high school. Like a lot of kids, I just wanted to do something interesting, maybe see the world. It took time to grow into the Navy but that certainly happened in my case. The Navy has been very good to me," she said.

"I picked cryptology as an undesignated seaman assigned to Adak, Alaska. They had a large Naval Security Group field site and the work they did fascinated me. I’ve stayed in the Navy because everywhere I’ve been, I’ve enjoyed the work and there’s a greater sense of mission that I think is absent in the civilian sector," Seerden added.

As Sailor of the Year, Seerden said her life may now be different.

"I really hope not much. I think one reason the Navy has always been a good fit for me is that I can be just another member of the team and do my job," she said.

For related news, visit the Submarine School Navy NewsStand page at www.news.navy.mil/local/subscol/.