Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSUP) Fleet Logistic Center (FLC) Yokosuka unveiled its golden anchor Jan. 27 as a result of being announced a winner of the fiscal year 2015 Retention Excellence Award, which authorizes awardees to fly the retention excellence pennant and paint their anchors gold.

"Your success represents commitment to the growth and development of your Sailors and serves as the foundation of fleet readiness," said Rear Adm. Jonathan Yuen, commander NAVSUP and chief of Supply Corps.

Each year, commands have their career information program assessed, which includes benchmarks for reenlistments, retention and attrition. This year NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka exceeded all applicable benchmarks, said Navy Counselor 1st Class Alex March, career counselor at NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka.

Navy Career Counselors (NCs) play a vital role to the success of any command. This specialty focuses on enhancing the career development and opportunities for other Sailors, which allows them to spend more time doing their specific jobs for the command. NCs also focus on manning, placement, and retention, which contribute to the success of the command and the Navy overall.

"To earn an award like this really shows how well our Sailors are informed about their careers," said Capt. Raymond Bichard, NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka commanding officer. "The effort that NC1 March put into educating our Sailors not only aided those individuals but benefited this command as a whole."

Retention and reenlistment of qualified Sailors is a mutual benefit to the Sailor and the Navy. However, the Navy is only looking to retain the best and brightest. The career navigator program is the primary force shaping tool used to identify top performers, said March.

"Sailors will make several critical decisions regarding duty stations, platform types and reenlistments over the course of a career," said March. "My job is to help or assist the Sailor in making the right career choice for his/herself and their family members."

"I accomplish this by becoming the subject-matter expert on Navy programs and policies regarding career assignments and special programs. I provide the Sailor with current, up-to-date information and offer expertise and insight, so that they can make informed and deliberate career decisions," March added.

Many Sailors have found the information put out by NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka's career counselor to be extremely helpful when making those big decisions.

"My time for reenlistment in coming up in a few months," said Logistics Specialist 3rd Class Anthony Medeles, an inventory manager for NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka's Industrial Supply department. "Sitting down with our NC really helps me get a better understanding of all my options."

At the end of the day NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka has the kept the very best Sailors in its ranks, which enables superior logistics support to the warfighter within the 7th Fleet area of responsibility (AOR).

NAVSUP FLC Yokosuka, one of eight fleet logistics centers under NAVSUP Global Logistics Support (GLS), is the Western Pacific region's largest U.S. Navy logistics command. Headquartered just 26 miles due south of Tokyo, the enterprise networks more than 20 sites and fuel terminals from Misawa, Japan, to Sydney, Australia; Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean to Guam with a mission to serve the Asia Pacific Region's forward deployed maritime warfighter with 24/7 operational logistics support integrating an extensive service provider network to deliver fuel, material, mail and supply chain services across the U.S. Navy's largest geographical AOR.

For more news from Naval Supply Systems Command, visit www.navy.mil/.