Seaman Recruit Jeri Henley, Division 429, graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command (RDC), earning the Military Excellence Award Nov. 2.

Henley, from Brownwood, Texas, joined the Navy because of shared values and the opportunity to broaden her horizon.

“I have always wanted to learn about different cultures and experience places that I would only dream about visiting,” she said. “I also believe that the Navy holds very high standards for their Sailors and that is very important to me.”

Henley, 20, a graduate of Brownwood High School in Brownwood, Texas, attended Universal Technical Institute, in Houston, Texas, where she studied collision repair and car refinishing. She was employed at an auto body shop. On the ship, she is assigned the rate of Sonar Technician (Surface).

The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award (MEA) is the top award presented to the No. 1 recruit of their graduating training group. The MEA is awarded to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing and teamwork. The award placed her at the pinnacle of today’s newest Sailors. Henley is awarded a flag letter of commendation. She said winning the MEA will help keep her motivated toward achieving her goals.

“Boot camp teaches us core attributes and the one that stuck out most to me was integrity and doing the right things, even when nobody is watching,” she said. “Winning this award is a very amazing start for my career and I’m very thankful for receiving it.”

Henley credited her Recruit Division Commanders, Chief Aviation Electronics Technician William Roberts, Information Systems Technician 1st Class Chelsea Satchell, and Operations Specialist 1st Class Adrian Mares for their leadership and guidance.

“They were the perfect RDCs, in my opinion,” Henley said. “Chief Roberts kept my mindset on the right track while I also reflected back on my progress and kept my determination strong toward my goals. Petty Officer Mares always kept me motivated while we were running at Freedom Hall and doing our workouts. Petty Officer Satchell was like the strict mother. She was always on us when we knew we could do better. She showed me that there is always room for improvement and aiming to be the best that I could be at all times.”

Henley said the toughest part of boot camp was leaving behind friends and family for a new and very different life.

“You’re coming into such a drastic change in environment and being surrounded by strangers,” she said. “The first few weeks, there were many mental challenges to overcome. The easiest way I overcame my challenges was just going with the flow, and not fighting it. I also was reminding those around me many times to go with the flow and eventually we all became close. To me, it’s amazing to realize how much we have grown the past couple months, seeing everyone else’s mental and physical progress and becoming more like a family. It’s a very bittersweet moment graduating boot camp. I will never forget it.”

After graduation, Henley will attend Sonar Technician (Surface) "A" school in San Diego, California. Sonar Technicians (Surface) operate surface sonar and other oceanographic systems; manipulate, control, evaluate, and interpret sonar and oceanographic data. They operate surface ship underwater fire control systems (with associated equipment) for the solution of anti-submarine warfare problems, and perform organizational and intermediate maintenance on surface sonar and allied equipment.

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 30,0000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers.

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.

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For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.