The Commanding Officer of the U.S. Navy's Agent for International Education and Training announced its International Military Student Officer of the Year Jan. 12.

Naval Education and Training Security Assistance Field Activity (NETSAFA) Commanding Officer Capt. Douglas Heady said that from a field of more than 100 International Military Student Officers (IMSO), Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit (CNATTU) Jacksonville's Aviation Electronics Technician 1st Class (AW) Timothy Smith is the NETSAFA 2015 Medium Command International Military Student Officer of the Year.

CNATTU Jacksonville Commanding Officer Cmdr. Carvin Brown said Smith's nomination and subsequent award epitomize his consistent efforts in instructing the more than 70 students annually at the CNATTU Jacksonville training areas.

"Smith is an integral part of the CNATTU team - an inspirational leader and exceptional manager who distinguishes himself with outstanding performance as an IMSO, Leading Petty Officer and Instructor," Brown said. "He is truly a well-rounded Sailor - a model citizen and ambassador for all of our international students and the staff here at CNATTU Jacksonville."

Smith, a Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, native, serves as the CNATTU Jacksonville IMSO and Maintenance Training Unit (MTU) 1011 Leading Petty Officer.

In his role as IMSO, he is responsible for international students' logistics and training, including everything from coordinating all pre-arrival information and itineraries for travel to Jacksonville, verifying and delivering all pre-requisite training, tracking the students' progress throughout their courses until graduation and ultimately seeing their departure is properly executed.

Smith said that being recognized by his local Chain of Command is an honor, but to be recognized at NETSAFA is beyond words.

"This is an assignment like no other in the Navy," Smith said. "The interaction with the Foreign Military Sales program and the International Military Students is eye opening and extremely gratifying. I consider myself lucky to be of service to the program and the United States Navy."

CNATTU Jacksonville Senior Enlisted Leader (SEL) Master Chief Aviation Support Equipmentman (AW/SW) Casey Davis said Smith's dedication to the international students in his charge not only furthers CNATTU Jacksonville's mission, but potentially increases partnerships with foreign military aviation maintainers.

"Petty Officer Smith's dedication to ensuring the reduction of road blocks to training through communication between the many foreign militaries is outstanding," said Davis. "In regards to furthering the partnership between NATO and allied nations on the P-8, TACMOBILE, and MH-60R platforms, he knocks it out of the park with every task he's given."

CNATTU Jacksonville maintains 102 different courses covering three different aircraft and various aviation support equipment. More than 5,000 United States and foreign military students complete courses at CNATTU Jacksonville annually.

CNATTU Jacksonville is part of the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT), which provides single-site management for Navy and Marine Corps aviation technical training.

CNATT is the technical training agent for Naval Aviation Enterprise, an organization designed to advance and sustain naval aviation warfighting capabilities at an affordable cost, and is the largest training center under the Naval Education and Training Command.

For more news from Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, visit www.navy.mil/.