A USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) officer was awarded the 2016 Commander, Naval Air Forces, U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMNAVAIRPAC) Propulsion Plant Watch Officer of the Year Award, March 28. Lt. Kristin Anzalone, from Bellingham, Washington, earned the award, which recognizes contributions to force readiness made by nuclear trained junior officers aboard nuclear powered aircraft carriers. Every carrier nominates one junior officer from the reactor department each year for consideration. "They didn't tell me that I had been nominated, so I didn't find out until they told me I had won. I was so surprised," said Anzalone. Anzalone's leadership contributed to the successful completion of a Western Pacific deployment, three major fleet exercises, the 75th Pearl Harbor remembrance, and two shipyard maintenance availabilities. "Lt. Anzalone was nominated based on her operational prowess and demonstrated ability to develop her watch team through casualty and routine operations," said Lt. Cmdr. Jorge Roldan, main propulsion assistant, from New Orleans, who recommended Anzalone for the award. "Moreover, she superbly led one of the most challenging and maintenance-intensive work centers [aboard] the ship." Anzalone also took the lead on numerous complex propulsion plant operations, testings and maintenance evolutions with excellent results, all while leading her division of 45 Sailors. "I'd like to credit the other supervisors on my watch team, especially my propulsion plant watch supervisor, chief reactor watch and chief machinery operator," said Anzalone. Anzalone will be moving on from John C. Stennis this summer to be an instructor at the Navy's Officer Candidate School located in Newport, Rhode Island. John C. Stennis is conducting a planned incremental availability (PIA) at Puget Sound Naval Shipyard and Intermediate Maintenance Facility, during which the ship is undergoing scheduled maintenance and upgrades. For more news on John C. Stennis, visit http://navy.mil/local/cvn74/ or http://www.facebook.com/stennis74.