Patuxent River command names sailors of the year
The Sailor of the Year Program was established by the chief of naval operations to recognize the superior performance of enlisted personnel, pay grades E-1 to E-6, and emphasize outstanding achievement and professionalism, exemplary personal conduct, command impact, mission contribution, dedication to self-improvement and superb initiative.
The following Naval Air Station Patuxent River command sailors were honored for their accomplishments:
NAS Senior Sailor of the Year
AC1 (AW/SW) Damon Haney NATOPS Instructor/ Radar Branch Chief
• Manages the training, qualification and designation of 74 Sailors, 10 DoD civilian air traffic controllers, two senior chiefs, two chiefs, and 28 first class petty officers, yielding 1,471 hours On-the-Job Instruction and 608 under instruction ground controlled approaches.
• Scope of responsibility far exceeds the level of a FCPO and currently serves in an arduous gapped CPO billet.
• As Radar Branch Chief, he is responsible for the safe operation within the NAS Patuxent River Radar Approach Control area of jurisdiction encompassing 8,735 square miles of airspace around the National Capital Region.
• One of only seven FCPOs to train and qualify as a command duty officer (CDO), fulfilling a major command watch station.
• As a CDO, he is responsible for the security and continued operation of 6,412 acres of waterfront property that is home to naval aviation’s latest assets and one national security TACAMO detachment.
• Under his guidance, personnel achieved 47 professional qualifications, seven supervisor designations, and six facility watch supervisor designations.
• Consistently utilizes rating expertise and professional knowledge to establish policy and maintain a high level of air traffic control procedures resulting in the
safe completion of 60,485 flight operations supporting 50 mission partners.
• Managed, revised and updated a procedural library consisting of 38 Letters of Agreement with Federal Aviation Administration entities and ATC facilities within the National Capital Region.
Haney’s collateral duties include Assistant Command Fitness Leader where he established and managed a fitness program for 222 Sailors resulting in four Sailors obtaining eligibility to be removed from mandatory Fitness Enhancement Program sessions. Additionally, he assisted in the training and certification of 11 ACFLs, conducted one mock PFA and 28 fitness enhancement sessions for 11 Sailors. As a Command Ceremonial Detail senior member, he trained and qualified four new Sailors on proper military honors, customs and procedures, and dedicated 50 hours to 10 funerals and three changes of command supporting active-duty and retired military personnel.
“AC1 Haney is the gold standard when it comes the Navy Sailor,” said Senior Chief Air Traffic Controller Nelson Hercules. “I’m proud of his accomplishments and efforts here at Pax River. He’s a family man, a subject matter expert and consummate professional who puts himself last when it comes to helping a Sailor out. He is the face of Pax ATC, earning respect up and down the chain of command. I’m elated to see his hard work and determination start to pay off.”
NAS Junior Sailor of the Year
LS2 (AW/SW) Solange Gordonbaig Air Operations Supply Leading Petty Officer
• Managed a budget of $900,000 and relentless commitment to precise accounting allowed Air Operations’ continued uninterrupted support in flight operations to all tenant commands.
• Completed 76 supply requisitions, 12 Depot Level Repairs, one Casualty Report, and reutilized more than 140 items across Airs Ops, Security, Port Operations and the Administration Department.
• As Command Repair Parts Petty Officer Instructor, she produced 12 Repair Parts POs, allowing seven divisions to fully support the command’s 3M Program and exceed command qualification standards.
• Provided 60 hours of MILSTRIP training to 115 Naval District Washington civilians, allowing their commands to independently requisition materials and parts in support of their missions.
• As Junior Enlisted AssociationTreasurer, led 30 Sailors and improved morale through 20 peer leadership events.
“LS2 Gordon has consistently performed well above her paygrade since her arrival here at Air Operations, putting in more time, effort, and dedication than any second class petty officer I have ever met in my 16-year career,” said Senior Chief Electronics Technician Aric
Dickson. “I could not be more proud of LS2’s accomplishments. She also exudes the definition of resiliency after battling through a rough year and still did not falter in her drive toward success. This is such a well-deserved honor and I am excited to see what else she accomplishes in her career, Pax River is lucky to have such an outstanding Sailor.”
NAS Blue Jacket of the Year
AC3 James Horner
Ground Controller, Air Operations
• Contributed to the safe, orderly and expeditious completion of 33,482 aircraft operations in support of more than 50 tenant commands.
• Contributed to the completion of more than 250 mishap-free final approaches during the most critical phase of flight as a Radar Final Controller and an On-theJob Training Instructor.
• Trained and instructed 26 Sailors and civilians on multiple Air Traffic Control positions.
• As a Flight Planning Supervisor, oversaw the entry of 1,415 flight plans and 468 vital airfield NOTAMS into the National Airspace System, while managing a three-person watch team.
• Leadership skills, technical knowledge, and pride in his facility led to 29 position qualifications and nine supervisor designations total 450 on-the-job training hours.
Horner is also a member of the Command Color Guard, dedicating more than 100 hours to 20 funerals and six changes of command. He donated 15 off-duty hours to the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum as a simulation technician and helped raise $75,000 in funds for the museum.
“It’s an honor to serve with AC3 Horner and I’m proud to call him the NAS Blue Jacket of the Year,” said Senior Chief Air Traffic Controller Nelson Hercules. “He embodies toughness, hard work and determination. AC3 spends countless hours studying to become a better controller and Sailor; and he takes pride in everything he does while earning respect from his peers and subordinates across the command.”