Chief of Navy Reserve, Vice Adm. Luke M. McCollum announced the Fiscal Year 2016 Navy Reserve Full Time Support (FTS) Shore Sailor of the Year (SOY) in a ceremony held at the Maryland House onboard Naval Station Norfolk Jan. 12.

Out of five finalists, Yeoman 1st Class Alison Ford, a native of Rockland, Massachusetts, currently stationed at Commander, Naval Air Force Reserve San Diego was selected.

Ford attributed her win to her leadership and hard work.

"Being dedicated to your Sailors and being dedicated to the mission; it does pay off," said Ford. "If you asked me a year ago if you thought I was going to be here I would have said no, so just keep working hard and it will pay off."

Leading up to announcing the winner, the finalists had an opportunity to sit down with the chief of Navy Reserve, commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command and the Navy Reserve force master chief. During his brief, Navy Reserve Force Master Chief C.J. Mitchell stressed the need for the Sailors to make an impact on the force and the significance of their selection.

"Congratulations on being recognized as your command/ISIC (immediate superior in command) finalist out of several of a dozen -- more than a dozen -- folks; [this] is an accomplishment in and of itself," said Mitchell. "I am force master chief and I was never Sailor of the Year of nothing, so you're already to some degree more successful than I've ever been. It is a significant accomplishment and you should be very proud.

The other finalists included Information Systems Technician 1st Class Kristy Lehr, Navy Operational Support Center Indianapolis; Naval Air Crewmen (mechanical) 1st Class Jonathan Mack, Navy Air Logistics Office New Orleans; Navy Counselor 1st Class Antwann North, Commander, Navy Reserve Forces Command Norfolk; and Yeoman 1st Class Jermaine Reed, Navy Region Southeast Reserve Component Command Fort Worth, Texas.

Ford will go on to compete for the title of 2016 Vice Chief of Naval Operations (Naval Shore Activities) SOY.

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

For more news from Commander, Navy Reserve Force, visit http://www.navy.mil/.