A 15-year first-class petty officer assigned to the U.S. Naval Academy was named the MyNavy HR 2019 Enterprise Support Sailor of the Year in a Jan. 28 ceremony at Naval Support Facility Arlington.

Yeoman 1st Class Eric R. Alvarez was picked from a field of seven candidates and will go on to compete as Enterprise Support’s representative in the MyNavy HR domain's SOY competition later this year.

“We do look across our organizations, find our top Sailors, and put them up because they each exemplify the best of the best in their command,” said Rear Adm. Brad Skillman, director of Enterprise Support for the chief of naval personnel, who presided over the ceremony.

“These Sailors go back to their commands and are the examples that our junior Sailors aspire to be – they go on to be chiefs and master chiefs who keep the wheels of our personnel system moving forward,” said Skillman.

A panel of five master chiefs made the final selection and competition was tough, according to Command Master Chief (AW/SW) Jeffrey A. Kirby the senior enlisted Sailor at the U.S. Naval Academy.

“There was very little daylight between these candidates,” Kirby said. “It took us some time – more than was allotted -- to come to a consensus –but as master chiefs we all felt that we’d welcome any of these Sailors into our chief’s messes when they make that next step.”

When Skillman announced Alvarez as the winner, the Sailor’s eyes became so wide with disbelief that everyone in the room noticed.

“Obviously I was shocked that they picked me from this field of outstanding Sailors,” Alvarez said after the presentation. “Yes, I was the winner, but I’ve got to give a shout out to all the senior enlisted leaders at the Naval Academy who not only selected me, but also prepared me for this competition – they are who got me here, today.”

Alvarez will now move on to the next level. He’ll compete this spring for top honors with others across the Navy’s massive human resources domain.    

The six other finalist didn’t go home empty-handed with Skillman pinning each with a Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal and presenting them with a plaque honoring their participation.

The other finalists included:

Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st Class Tessa A. Claridy, Navy Manpower Analysis Center

Yeoman 1st Class Desiral L. Guillory, U.S. Naval War College

Aviation Support Equipment Technician 1st Class Michael J. Mohr, OPNAV Sea Duty Component

Yeoman 1st Class Eric D. Quinn, OPNAV N1 Staff

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Dee Xiong, OPNAV Sailor Advocate Experience

Information Systems Technician 1st Class Bradlee J. Young, Naval Postgraduate School

“For the three-years I have been the command master chief at the Naval Academy, YN1 Alvarez has been the go to guy,” Kirby said. “He runs a two-man show that operates an aircraft carrier-sized admin department – he’s just phenomenal.”

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