PENSACOLA, Fla. – A 2007 Bronx Leadership Academy II graduate and Bronx, New York, native was announced as a 2018 Sailor of the Year (SOY) finalist for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) at a ceremony onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola at the National Naval Aviation Museum Dec. 5.
Carvajal was one of seven sailors who competed for the title of NETC SOY, representing the top achievers from a pool of more than 8,000 military members. She received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for her achievements.
“The recognition of being here today is more than I have ever expected,” said Carvajal. “Being here is about the sailors I have led and guided and their hard work. I impact sailors around the fleet early in their Navy careers through the guidance and mentorship I provide at Recruit Training Command.”
Carvajal is part of the team that takes sailors from “street to fleet” by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat-ready warfighters, as well as providing the tools and opportunities for continuous learning and development.
NETC Commander Rear Adm. Kyle Cozad congratulated the finalists for their roles in developing the Navy’s future force and for their contributions to the training and education mission.
“Each of you here today represent the best of the very best in our Navy, making the force development mission a success," said Cozad. "We serve in a great Navy - and that greatness is centered on the initiative, leadership and competitive nature of our people. These sailors and officers illustrate everything that is right about our Navy and continue to represent our greatest advantage over any competitor and our most important means to achieving our desired ends. Everything that each of you does on a daily basis sets the highest bar when it comes to building a talented fleet for the Navy the nation needs, and it manifests through your recruiting and training accomplishments."
Carvajal is also qualified as a Master Training Specialist (MTS), which is a designation for demonstrating highly effective teaching skills and a comprehensive understanding of schoolhouse management, as well as for taking a leadership role in mentoring, instructing and evaluating instructors and curriculum. As MTS board chair at RTC, she chaired 13 qualification boards resulting in 13 new sailors receiving their MTS qualifications.
“I am so impressed by the caliber of all of our finalists," said NETC Force Master Chief Karim Cole. "We brought them together at NETC to recognize their tremendous talent and to show them how much we appreciate what they do to train, guide and get our sailors ready to man the fleet. They all represent a great deal of hard work and sweat that goes into creating a combat credible and lethal Navy and Marine Corps Team."
Carvajal has an associate's degree from the University of Phoenix.
The NETC SOY program recognize sailors throughout the NETC domain who exhibit attributes, such as sustained superior performance, leadership, mentorship, knowledge and teaching of military history and heritage, self-improvement, command and community involvement, and exemplary military bearing.
For additional information on the Naval Education and Training Command, visit the NETC website: https://www.netc.navy.mil or http://www.navy.mil/local/cnet/. Follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/netcpao and Twitter @netcpao.