Operations Specialist 1st Class Martres Brown, of Flint, Michigan, was named Sailor of the Year for the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67), Feb. 10.

"We are grateful that Brown has brought tremendous potential to USS Shiloh," said Lt. Jason Olson, the ship's chaplain. "He was chosen as Sailor of the Year for his outstanding leadership in the operations department and [Morale, Welfare and Recreation] MWR, and, I would say, throughout the entire crew."

MWR is a Navy program that provides and sponsors free or low-cost off-duty activities for Sailors throughout the year.

"When I first arrived at Shiloh, the MWR program had not yet taken off," said Brown.

Brown took on a challenge of coordinating and fundraising to help Shiloh's various events. Shiloh's MWR program hosts ice cream and game nights underway; sporting events such as basketball, softball and soccer; subsidized trips to various locations in Japan and in liberty ports; and command parties.

"Despite a demanding schedule, our MWR team was dedicated to putting on an amazing holiday party for the crew," Brown said.

At Shiloh's command holiday party, the ship's MWR program gave away 10,000 dollars in prizes, including the latest technologies, to Sailors winning the raffle. The biggest prize was a free trip to Hokkaido, Japan, won by Fire Controlman 3rd Class Fredrick Lee, of Chicago.

"I've never won anything before," said Lee. "The MWR team did an amazing job of planning this year's holiday party. I'm very excited for my trip to Hokkaido."

MWR offers several support and leisure services to active duty military, their families, DoD civilian and contract employees, military retirees and other eligible participants. Shiloh has had an active MWR program for the last 3 years.

Shiloh is forward-deployed to Yokosuka, Japan, in support of security and stability in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.

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