GREAT LAKES (NNS) — Seaman Recruit Dallin Roberts, Division 335, graduated as the top sailor from Recruit Training Command, earning the Military Excellence Award on August 5.
Roberts, from San Angelo, Texas, said he joined the Navy for personal and professional growth.
“I am a patriot who has always dreamed of serving my country at the highest degree possible,” Roberts said. “My father served for 21 years and greatly influenced me. Seeing him serve and wanting to carry on a tradition of excellence and service is what inspired me to serve the greatest country in the world.”
Roberts, 20, is a 2019 graduate Hays High School in Buda, Texas, where he participated in football and was the Critical Incident Stress Debriefing Firefighting class valedictorian.
Hays also was a member of the Marine Corp Junior Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.
Roberts is assigned the rate of special warfare operator.
The Navy Club of the United States Military Excellence Award (MEA) is the top award presented to the No. 1 recruit of their graduating training group. The MEA is awarded to the recruit that best exemplifies the qualities of enthusiasm, devotion to duty, military bearing and teamwork. The award placed him at the pinnacle of today’s newest sailors. Carlile is awarded a flag letter of commendation.
Roberts said he was honored to be awarded the MEA.
“I went through boot camp with some of the finest men I have ever met,” Roberts said. “The fact that I earned this award over some of them is truly humbling because they had helped me to be the best I could be here in boot camp. This honor reminds me that no one can go it alone, and that I stand on the shoulders of giants.”
Roberts credited his Recruit Division Commanders (RDCs), Chief Engineman Jovan Barnett, Engineering Aide 1st Class Zachary Fairfield, Religious Program Specialist Marlon Best, and Machinist’s Mate 1st Class Marysol Martinez for their leadership and guidance.
Division shipmates have also been a source of motivation for Roberts.
“Seeing the way they strove for excellence everyday was amazing,” Roberts said. “When the division would pull together we were able to easily conquer whatever challenge laid before us.”
Roberts said the toughest part of boot camp was pulling the division together.
“As Recruit Chief Petty Officer, my goal was to make the division work as one unit,” he said. “Getting everyone to work together was difficult, but eventually we were able to realize our common goal and pull together regardless on our differences.”
After graduation, Roberts will attend the Naval Special Warfare Preparatory School in Great Lakes. Special Warfare Operators perform a multitude of duties in support of special operations missions and operate on, under and from the sea, in the air and on land.
Boot camp is approximately eight weeks and all enlistees into the U.S. Navy begin their careers at the command. Training includes physical fitness, seamanship, firearms, firefighting and shipboard damage control along with lessons in Navy heritage and core values, teamwork and discipline. More than 40,000 recruits are trained annually at RTC and begin their Navy careers.
For more news from Recruit Training Command, visit www.navy.mil/local/rtc/