The Stennis Center for Public Service honored three Sailors assigned to the aircraft carrier USS George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) with Stennis Leadership Awards Jan. 21 at Robert Steinhilber’s Thalia Acres Inn. 

Lt. j.g. Jasper Haywood received the 2019 President George H. W. Bush Leadership Award, Senior Chief Aviation Support Equipment Technician Jamil Ghacham received the 2019 Senior Chief Storekeeper Charles G. Zwierzynsk Leadership Award, and Machinist’s Mate (Nuclear) 1st Class Emanuel Ramirez received the 2019 Aviation Radioman Second Class John L. Delaney Leadership Award.

The Stennis Leadership Awards recognize Sailors who demonstrate strong leadership within their divisions. Winners are nominated by their leadership and fellow crewmembers, and then selected by a group of peers.

“It’s crazy,” said Ramirez, who was standing watch during the announcement of award winners. “I had already made Sailor of the Year for Reactor Department. I heard my name and thought ‘What is that award?’ Once I did some research into it, I realized my senior chief had put me in for the award. I felt really humbled. I never thought I would win a leadership award.”

Brian Pugh, the current Executive Director of the Stennis Center of Public Service, began working for the Stennis center 13 years ago as a graduate student.

“The leadership program started with the [aircraft carrier USS John C.] Stennis [(CVN 74)] to promote public service, especially for young people,” said Pugh. “It is an honor for us to host this dinner this evening and recognize their service and leadership.”

The Stennis Center for Public Service arranges an annual trip to Washington, D.C. for both award recipients and their families. The trip to D.C. is designed to increase understanding of the role Congress plays in setting national security policy in the United States and in the environment in which Senator John C. Stennis served for 41 years.

GHWB is currently in Norfolk Naval Shipyard for its Docking Planned Incremental Availability (DPIA).

For more news from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), visit www.navy.mil/ and the ship’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/USSGeorgeHWBush/.

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For more news from USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77), visit www.navy.mil/.