PENSACOLA, Fla. – A 2002 Princess Anne High School graduate and Virginia Beach, Virginia, native was announced as the 2018 Military Instructor of the Year finalist, midgrade enlisted category, for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) in Pensacola at a ceremony onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola at the National Naval Aviation Museum Dec. 5.
Musician 1st Class Diane M. Potts serves as an instructor for the Naval School of Music, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Standing out as the subject matter expert in rehearsal techniques and clarinet performance instruction, she teaches small ensemble rehearsal techniques, basic music small ensembles, and clarinet for advanced academics, rehearsal division, and instrumental division. As a basic music small ensemble instructor, she delivered 220 hours of world-class instruction to 81 accession-level Navy and Marine Corps students, resulting in a 100 percent rehearsal division pass rate and nine successful capstone performances. She also helped found and volunteers as the administrator of Lean-In Navy Musicians Group, a group of 50 women, ranging from junior enlisted to midgrade officers in Navy music, who share experiences and advice as women in the military.
Representing the top achievers from a pool of more than 8,000 military members, Potts received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for her accomplishments.
“As an instructor for future military musicians, I am in a unique position to help shape the Navy’s music program,” said Potts. “There is no other university or school that can teach civilian musicians how to be military musicians. Navy musicians go all around the world representing the Navy and our country.”
Potts 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.”
Potts is also qualified as a Master Training Specialist, 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. She provided 33 hours of MTS mentorship to six multi-service instructors resulting in four MTS certifications.
“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."
Potts possesses a bachelor’s degree in music performance from the University of Memphis and a master’s degree in music performance from the University of North Texas.
Potts is the daughter of Jon and Marjorie Pasch of Bartlett, Tennessee.
The NETC IOY 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.