PENSACOLA, Fla. – A 1994 graduate of Edwardsville Senior High School and Edwardsville, Illinois native was announced as a 2019 Sailor of the Year (SOY) finalist for Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) at a ceremony onboard Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida, Jan. 23.
Musician 1st Class Zachary N. Ellerbrook is the command leading petty officer, tour operations and trombone instrumentalist, for Navy Band, Great Lakes, Illinois, where his mentorship resulted in 100% accountability of 30 sailors, and a 94% command retention rate. As tour operations, he coordinated a highly successful tour for 10 sailors in Springfield, Missouri that reached audiences of over 10,000. As trombone instrumentalist, he contributed to the success of 113 performances for audiences exceeding 5 million.
Ellerbrook 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 in MyNavy HR Force Development that spans recruiting and training Sailors in an increasingly competitive talent market. He received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his achievements.
“The most rewarding experience of my career has been watching others perform and achieve based on training and leadership I can pass on that was freely given to me,” said Ellerbrook. “The passage in our Sailor’s Creed, ‘I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me…’ takes on new meaning when I see our junior Sailors succeed where I have been before and also in different ways. It’s the main reason why I enjoy coming to work.”
Ellerbrook 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 Force Development mission.
“As we recognize the outstanding contributions of these individuals, it is also fitting to reflect upon the critical role each of them plays in support of fleet readiness,” said Cozad. “Your hard work and professionalism produce the best Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen in the world. I truly appreciate your personal commitment in meeting the continuous and evolving needs of our Navy and Marine Corps team.”
Ellerbrook earned a Bachelor of Music for jazz performance/studio music in 1999 from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and in 2013 earned a Master of Science as a school educator from St. Joseph’s College of Maine.
The NETC SOY program recognizes 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.
“These outstanding Sailors and Marines were selected from an extremely talented field of candidates who epitomize the honor, courage, and commitment of military personnel throughout MyNavy HR Force Development,” said NETC Force Master Chief Karim Cole.
Ellerbrook is married to Susan Ellerbrook of St. Louis, Missouri.
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.
Ellerbrook 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 in MyNavy HR Force Development that spans recruiting and training Sailors in an increasingly competitive talent market. He received a Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal for his achievements.
“The most rewarding experience of my career has been watching others perform and achieve based on training and leadership I can pass on that was freely given to me,” said Ellerbrook. “The passage in our Sailor’s Creed, ‘I represent the fighting spirit of the Navy and those who have gone before me…’ takes on new meaning when I see our junior Sailors succeed where I have been before and also in different ways. It’s the main reason why I enjoy coming to work.”
Ellerbrook 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 Force Development mission.
“As we recognize the outstanding contributions of these individuals, it is also fitting to reflect upon the critical role each of them plays in support of fleet readiness,” said Cozad. “Your hard work and professionalism produce the best Sailors, Marines, Soldiers, Airmen, and Coast Guardsmen in the world. I truly appreciate your personal commitment in meeting the continuous and evolving needs of our Navy and Marine Corps team.”
Ellerbrook earned a Bachelor of Music for jazz performance/studio music in 1999 from Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville and in 2013 earned a Master of Science as a school educator from St. Joseph’s College of Maine.
The NETC SOY program recognizes 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.
“These outstanding Sailors and Marines were selected from an extremely talented field of candidates who epitomize the honor, courage, and commitment of military personnel throughout MyNavy HR Force Development,” said NETC Force Master Chief Karim Cole.
Ellerbrook is married to Susan Ellerbrook of St. Louis, Missouri.
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.