Fleet Cyber Command, Navy Cyber Forces Name Joint Sailors of the Year

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- U.S. Fleet Cyber Command (FLTCYBERCOM) and Navy Cyber Forces (CYBERFOR) named joint 2011 Sailors of the Year in a ceremony in Virginia Beach, Va., Jan. 26.

Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (IDW/SW) Christopher Cook, based at Navy Information Operations Command (NIOC) Georgia, is the FLTCYBERCOM/CYBERFOR Sea Sailor of the Year.

Information Systems Technician 1st Class (IDW/SW) Richard Skees, a computer specialist assigned to Navy Cyber Defense Operations Command (NCDOC) in Virginia Beach, Va., is the FLTCYBERCOM/CYBERFOR Shore Sailor of the Year.

Sea Junior Sailor of the Year is Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) 2nd Class (IDW/SW) Craig Pitcher from NIOC Norfolk, and Shore Junior Sailor of the Year is Information Systems Technician 2nd Class (IDW/SW) James Boger, NIOC Colorado.

"Any of our 10 finalists could have been selected as the Sailor of the Year and would have performed equally as well at the U.S. Fleet Forces competition," CYBERFOR Force Master Chief (IDW/AW/SW) Jay Powers said. "Long after the master chiefs that sat this board are piped ashore, these Sailors will be shaping our Navy and positively impacting our Information Dominance Corps, whether from the CPO Mess or the wardroom. I am extremely proud of them and their families."

Skees said his selection was a surprise, and it humbled him.

"I'm honored to be chosen from such a great group of Sailors," the Lexington, Ky., native said. "Being picked as Sailor of the Year is a result of the great job the Sailors around me do to make NCDOC a success."

Cook, who hails from Birmingham, Ala., said he counts himself blessed to be chosen.

"My Sailors put me in a position to show what we're about at NIOC," he said. "When you put God first and have an awesome support team, and I mean my family and my command, anything is possible."

FLTCYBERCOM/TENTHFLT Command Master Chief (IDW/SW) Christopher Welch said this is the first year FLTCYBERCOM and CYBERFOR conducted a joint Sailor of the Year program and that the nominees demonstrate why Navy cyber and the Navy as a whole remain strong.

"We had candidates from our subordinate communities representing their fellow Sailors from within the Information Dominance Corps and those from the myriad of other Navy ratings we depend on every day for mission success," Welch said. "It is our ability to work together that is the foundation from which our accomplishments in this new warfare area will come. These Sailors will lead us in those achievements."

The other nominees for Sailor of Year were Cryptologic Technician (Collection) 1st Class (IDW/NAC) Daniel Adkins, NIOC Whidbey Island, Wash.; Information Systems Technician 1st Class (IDW/SW) Jennifer Pate, Naval Communications Security Material System, Washington; Cryptologic Technician (Maintenance) 1st Class (SS) Kelly Rixies, Jr., NIOC Norfolk; Cryptologic Technician (Interpretive) 1st Class (IDW/NAC) Jason Snyder, NIOC Misawa, Japan; Electronics Technician 1st Class (IDW/SW) Jerry Behimino, Naval Computer and Telecommunications Area Master Station Pacific, Hawaii; Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class (IDW/SW) Kristalina Greene, NIOC Colorado; Information Systems Technician 1st Class (IDW/SW) Bryan Hamel, NCTAMS Atlantic, Va.; and Yeoman 1st Class (IDW/SW) Classie Mejia, Navy Cyber Forces Headquarters, Va.

Both Sailors of the Year will compete for U.S. Fleet Forces Command Sailor of the Year in March.

For more information on Navy Cyber Forces, visit www.cyberfor.navy.mil, or www.navy.mil/local/ncf, or follow the command on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/USNavyCyberForces.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Navy Cyber Forces, visit www.navy.mil/local/ncf/.