Navy Region Southwest (NRSW) announced its 2015 Sailor of the Year (SOY) during a ceremony held aboard the USS Midway Museum Nov. 20.

Selected Sailors from 11 different installations throughout the region came together in San Diego to compete for the honor of becoming NRSW SOY 2015.

Prior to the ceremony, the SOY nominees spent the week participating in events including an icebreaker gathering at the home of Rear Adm. Mark Rich, commander, Navy Region Southwest, a dinner on the Hornblower and an early morning hike up Cowles Mountain.

Air Traffic Controller 1st Class (AW/SW) Nicholas Lawson, assigned to Naval Air Station Lemoore, was named the winner of NRSW SOY 2015

"This whole entire week has been a great learning experience," said Lawson. "I want to thank my fellow first classes for their friendship and camaraderie. The CMCs have been providing us with invaluable knowledge. I really want to thank the Admiral for his hospitality and words of wisdom. I can't wait to get back and share this experience with the rest of my shipmates."

Lawson will go on to compete against Sailors from other regions for the honor of Commander, Naval Installations Command Sailor of the Year. The selectee from that competition will go on to compete for Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year.

CMDCM (SW/AW/FMF) Chad Lunsford, Command Master Chief Navy Region Southwest, spoke on what it means to be selected as 2015 Sailor of the Year.

"They are the Sailor who is a subject matter expert, they are the best at their job but they also have a direct impact on their command mission. It's the person who is leading from the front and doing all their technical stuff all the while representing the Navy in a positive way in the community. It's the entire well-rounded Sailor. It really is picking who is right to compete at the next level. Anyone of those 11 could have been chosen for our Sailor of the Year."

The following were the nominees for 2015 NRSW SOY:

*Master-at-Arms 1st Class Shannon Golden, NRSW Headquarters, San Diego
*Master-at-Arms 1st Class Matthew Brooks, Naval Air Facility El Centro, California
*Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Matthew Garza, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada
*Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Nicholas Lawson Naval Air Station Lemoore, California
*Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Danny Tucker, Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake, California
*Air Traffic Controller 1st Class Vincent Hughley, Naval Base Coronado, California
*Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Marc Cerda, Naval Base Point Loma, California
*Master-at-Arms 1st Class Garret Chadek, Naval Base San Diego
*Master-at-Arms 1st Class Robert Rodriguez, Naval Base Ventura County, California
*Master-at-Arms 1st Class Michael McGuire, Naval Weapons Station Seal
Beach, California
*Aviation Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Solomon Thompson, Transient Personnel Unit, San Diego

For more news from Commander, Navy Region Southwest, visit www.navy.mil/.