I get an award!

Today I was presented with my first ever Letter of Commendation (LOC)!

It was to commemmorate that I was selected as the third quarter’s Junior Sailor of the Quarter.  I received the LOC and a nice plaque.  My OIC (Officer in Charge) told me it was to go on my “I Love Me Wall” and asked if Jeremy had anything like it.  She said if he did, mine was to go higher!  I also have my picture on the awards wall in the foyer of my building.

It’s really nice I got something.  I work really hard and put in long hours and try to do extra stuff for the command and the sailors there; not just do the minimum like a lot of people do.  And I’ve never gotten anything like this before.  At DLI I was just trying to make it–to pass, which I didn’t end up doing.  I couldn’t shine there.  I spent all my effort trying to accomplish the minimum.  And at the John F. Kennedy I couldn’t shine either.  There wasn’t anything to shine at.  We cleaned all day and rarely went out, and when we did I was in training and trying to learn my job.  In a way I was at the bottom there too–among many others at the bottom.  So it wasn’t until I came here that I felt I could contribute something to the command.  Here I’ve been treated as an important and, increasingly, valuable member of the team.  And I feel good about being able to contribute.

I just wanted to share the good news.