Lt. Mitchell Kempisty, the operations officer and navigator aboard the patrol coastal ship USS Monsoon (PC 4), received the Commander, Naval Surface Force Atlantic (CNSL) 2018 Junior Officer Shiphandler of the Year award, May 30.

Rear Adm. Jesse A. Wilson Jr., met with and congratulated Kempisty for this significant achievement during a scheduled visit to Manama, Bahrain.

Kempisty competed against all surface warfare junior officers across CNSL's 76 ships, which included surface ships stationed at Bahrain; Mayport, Fla.; Norfolk, Va.; and Rota, Spain.

"Nothing is more important than the safety of navigation. Contact management is the first part of combat management," said Wilson. "We must be able to fight and win against adversaries, we must be proficient in high-end naval warfare."

Competitors were evaluated on their shiphandling, leadership, and application of the "Rules of the Road."

Throughout the competition, junior officers demonstrated their readiness, competency and proficiency.

This award is the culmination of a month-long competition, which was held at CNSL's Navigation, Seamanship and Shiphandling Trainer (NSST) at Norfolk Naval Station in Norfolk, Va.

Kempisty understands the importance of shiphandling and teamwork.

"It's not just about me it's really about Monsoon... no shiphandler learns by [himself/herself], you can't read it out of a book," said Kempisty during a radio interview with AFN Bahrain earlier this year in April.

"What I love about my job is the satisfaction I get from driving warships. The experiences I get from sailing the Arabian Gulf are unimaginable by most," said Kempisty.

Next week, Kempisty will compete at Newport, R.I., against Commander, Naval Surface Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet's (CNSP) awardee for the honor and title of Commander, Naval Surface Forces (SURFOR) 2018 Junior Officer Shiphandler of the Year.

NSST is a virtual, ship-driving simulator that provides a realistic and simulated environment for Sailors to train, increase readiness and enhance warfighting capabilities.

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