Naval Information Forces (NAVIFOR) announced the Sea, Shore, and Reserve Sailors of the Year at an awards ceremony, Feb. 9.

During the ceremony, Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Courtney Evers, assigned to Navy Information Operations Det. Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, was announced as the Senior Sea Sailor of the Year; Cryptologic Technician (Technical) 1st Class Jaxi Sehorn, assigned to Farragut Technical Analysis Center, Washington, D.C., was announced as the Senior Shore Sailor of the Yea; and Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Mary Alder, assigned to Naval Reserve Office of Naval Intelligence 1071 was announced as the Senior Reservist Sailor of the Year.

Evers, a native of North Syracuse, New York, entered the Navy January 2007. She graduated from Recruit Training Command (RTC) at Great Lakes in 2007 and attended cryptologic technician "A" school. Her commands include Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron 1, Whidbey Island, Washington; Navy Information Operations Command, Hawaii; and Navy Information Operations Det. Kaneohe Bay.

Sehorn, a native of Spiro, Oklahoma, entered the Navy October 2009. She graduated from RTC in 2009 and attended cryptologic technician "A" school. Her commands include Commander, Carrier Strike Group 3 staff aboard aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN-74); and Farragut Technical Analysis Center at the Office of Naval Intelligence.

Alder, a native of Longview, Texas, entered the Coast Guard June 2005. She graduated from Basic Training Center Cape May, New Jersey, in 2005. Her commands include Integrated Support Command Ketchikan, Alaska; Coast Guard Cryptologic Group Colorado; USCGC Mohawk (WMEC 913; and Office of Naval Intelligence, Suitland, Maryland. She separated from active duty March 2013, and in December 2013 joined the Naval Reserve.

To be selected as one of the finalists for the TYCOM (type commander) Sailor of the Year competition the Sailors displayed a level of professionalism and dedication which identified them as being clearly at the top of their profession in each of their component commands.

The other top sea, shore, and Reserve finalists were Aerographer's Mate 1st Class Matthew Anderson, Strike Group Oceanography Team Norfolk; Aerographer's Mate 1st Class Jason Archibald, Naval Oceanography ASW Det. Kadena, Japan; Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Stephen Bird, Naval Reserve Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command 0106; Information System Technician 1st Class Erik Cunningham, Naval Communications Security Material System Washington, D.C.; Yeoman 1st Class Holly Fey, Naval Reserve Pacific Command Joint Intelligence Operations Center 0113; Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Stilling Horton, Naval Reserve Joint Information Operations Center Southern Command 0174; Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Mitchell Marlatt, NAVIFOR Fleet Intelligence Det. Washington, D.C.; Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Christopher Nichols, Naval Reserve Office of Naval Intelligence 0466; Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Jody Pulford, Naval Reserve Navy Expeditionary Intelligence Command 0222; and Intelligence Specialist 1st Class Francisco Trujillo Jr., Kennedy Irregular Warfare Center Washington, D.C.

"I am exceptionally proud of the three Sailors who were selected as NAVIFOR Sailors of the Year; I couldn't be happier for each of the other 10 Sailors who were selected to compete," said NAVIFOR Force Master Chief Toby Ruiz. "They are all outstanding representatives of their commands."

"Each year it gets more difficult to make the selections because of the absolute remarkable quality of the candidates nominated," he added. "Now this year, we have expanded our event to include our Reserve Sailors from Naval Information Forces Reserve Command, adding even more exceptional Sailors to the group."

Capt. Kelly A. Aeschbach, special assistant to Commander, Naval Information Forces, and recently selected for rear admiral, served as the presiding officer for the ceremony.

"These Sailors epitomize our core values and are imbued with the CNO's (chief of naval operations') core attributes: integrity, accountability, initiative, and toughness," she said. "This week I had the pleasure of meeting each of the finalists. I was impressed by their can-do attitudes, poise, presence, and confidence. Each one of them was even more impressive in person than they were on paper."

Nominated Sailors from the NAVIFOR commands spent the week in the Norfolk area at a series of luncheons, receptions, and meetings with the Sailor of the Year board, the NAVIFOR force master chief, and other senior enlisted personnel and officers.

The next step for the Sea and Shore Senior Sailors of the Year is the U.S. Fleet Forces Sailor of the Year competition at the end of the month, and the chief's board this summer.

The Sea and Shore Junior Sailors of the Year were also announced at the ceremony. Aerographer's Mate 2nd Class Ciera Meadows, NOAC Yokosuka, Japan, was announced as the Junior Sea Sailor of the Year and Information Systems Technician 2nd Class Haley Archer, Hopper Information Services Center was announced as the Junior Shore Sailor of the Year.

The Sailor of the Year program was established by the CNO to recognize those Sailors who best represent the large number of dedicated professionals in a particular command.

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