Seaman Recruit Alyson R. Precie, Division 919, graduated as the top Sailor from Recruit Training Command earning the Military Excellence Award on March 16.

Precie, 26, said her Navy veteran parents inspired her to join.

"I wanted to improve my skillset so I may better provide for my family and contribute more to society," Precie said. "My mother and father met in the Navy, and their service inspired me to follow in their footsteps."

Precie, from Tucson, Arizona, was an assistant store director prior to enlisting. She is pursuing a bachelor's degree in technological entrepreneurship and management. Precie also enjoys singing, and along with her husband, is a member of the rock band Swindy.

Precie was assigned the rate of Cryptological Technician (Interpretive).

The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award is the top award presented to the No. 1 recruit of their graduating training group. The MEA is awarded to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing and teamwork. The award placed her at the pinnacle of today's newest Sailors. Precie is awarded a flag letter of commendation.

Precie said she takes a great deal of pride in winning the MEA.

"Winning the MEA is the culmination of the hard work and effort I've put in during my time at RTC," she said. "It is a reminder that perseverance and dedication are acknowledged and rewarded, and that anything you do is worth doing 100 percent."

Precie credited her Recruit Division Commanders, Chief Aviation Structural Mechanic Dmitry Kapkanov, Aviation Ordnanceman 1st Class William Leon and Aviation Support Equipment Technician 2nd Class Lisa McDonald for their leadership and guidance. She also thanked her shipmates for their support.

"I did not achieve the MEA solely on my own," Precie said. "It is thanks to the support of my shipmates and my RDCs that I was able to win the MEA. I especially want to thank my RDCs for their high standards of excellence, professionalism, and dedication to developing us into a highly-motivated and capable team. I feel honored to have been a part of their division."

Precie said the most challenging part of boot camp was learning to embrace failure and mistakes.

"With the guidance of my RDCs and my shipmates, I've learned to stay confident and move forward even when things don't go as planned," she said.

Following graduation, Precie will attend the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. Cryptologic Technicians (Interpretive) conduct information operations using foreign language skills and advanced computer systems. They collect, analyze, and exploit foreign language communications signals of interest to identify, locate, and monitor worldwide threats.

Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. About 30,000 to 40,000 recruits graduate annually from RTC and begin their Navy careers.

For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/.