SAN DIEGO – Sea and Shore Sailors of the Year (SOY) for commander, Submarine Force U.S. Pacific Fleet (COMSUBPAC) were announced Feb. 11 following a week of events where 10 SOY candidates representing various commands from the Pacific submarine community competed for the distinguished title.
Machinist’s Mate, Non-Nuclear, Submarine Auxiliary 1st Class Vinn Mai, from Carleston, S.C., assigned to the Los Angeles-class submarine USS Buffalo (SSN 715), earned the title of COMSUBPAC 2015 Sea Sailor of the Year.
Navy Diver 1st Class Kristoffer Ilagan, from Moreno Valley, Calif., assigned to Undersea Rescue Command, earned the title of COMSUBPAC 2015 Shore Sailor of the Year.
Both Sailors will now go on to represent the Pacific submarine force in the Commander, U.S. Pacific Fleet Sailor of the Year competition.
The other finalists were:
STG1 Christian Pessini, Undersea Surveillance
STG1 Sara Riha, Naval Ocean Processing Facility Whidbey Island
STS1 Rob Hatton, USS Key West (SSN 722)
IT1 Nicholas Stenftenagel, Submarine Group 9
STS1 Patrick Kline, Submarine Squadron 15
EMN1 Pete Luksik, USS Asheville (SSN 758)
MMA1 Dakota Martinez, Naval Submarine Support Command Pearl Harbor
STS1 Barry Maag, Submarine Development Squadron 5
The candidates were honored during a luncheon today, where Rear Adm. Frederick Roegge, COMSUBPAC, congratulated all the Sailors.
“These Sailors possess all the characteristics the Chief of Naval Operations expects to maintain superiority in undersea warfare: integrity, accountability, initiative and toughness” said Roegge. “But the most important thing these Sailors have in common is a shipmate or a supervisor who saw in them the potential for excellence and then led them, mentored them, and then inspired them to achieve.”