Center for Security Forces Announces 2012 Sailor of the Year

VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. (NNS) -- The Center for Security Forces (CENSECFOR) announced the CENSECFOR Sailor of the Year for 2012, Dec. 2.

Capt. James R. Boorujy, commanding officer of CENSECFOR, named Master-At-Arms (Surface Warfare) 1st Class Robert White as CENSECFOR's 2012 Sailor of the Year (SOY).

Boorujy said White is an exemplary Sailor and epitomizes Navy core values. White expressed gratitude for the honor.

"This means a lot to me! It lets me know that hard work does pay off and also that my work has not gone unnoticed," said White of his selection as SOY.

"Serving as a Navy Master-at-Arms is a blessing to me because there is so much we can do in our rate and different places to travel where we can learn and grow from others," he added.

White will now join the ranks of other Sailors within the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) domain to compete for the title of NETC 2012 Sailor of the Year.

A native of Charleston, S.C., White graduated from James Island High School in 1995. He enlisted in the Navy in 1997, and has served his country in various capacities including two individual augmentee assignments to Bagram and Kabul, Afghanistan.

During his tenure in Kabul, White served as Advanced Team Mission Leader for Commander, International Security Assistance Force (COMISAF). There, he successfully planned and led numerous joint military protective service details for high-ranking officials. Among those were the president of Afghanistan, U.S. secretary of state, U.S. secretary of defense and the chairman of the U.S. joint chiefs of staff.

White currently serves as course supervisor and assistant to the training manager at CENSECFOR's Detachment in Chesapeake, Va. His co-oversight of two $1.2 million, high-risk training courses led to near perfect high-risk safety inspection and ensured the safe and successful graduation of 160 fleet sailors.

As for his future career plans, White said, "My objective is to earn my Associates degree in Homeland Security, become Master Training Specialist-certified, selected for Chief Petty Officer or Limited Duty Officer, and continue leading Sailors to success."

CENSECFOR Detachment Chesapeake provides a wide range of training in courses such as Antiterrorism Officer Level II; Armed Sentry/Security Reaction Force - Basic; Non-Compliant Visit, Board, Search, and Seizure, and more to meet the training needs of the fleet and the 21st Century Sailor.

The Center for Security Forces provides specialized training to more than 22,000 students each year and has 14 training locations across the U.S. and around the world.

For more news and information about Center for Security Forces, visit us at www.netc.navy.mil/centers/csf/, www.facebook.com/cencenforhq, and www.navy.mil/local/csf/.