NEWPORT, R.I. – The Center for Service Support (CSS) honored its outstanding Sailors of the Year (SOY), welcoming several Sailors to CSS headquarters at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island before boarding and awarding the domain SOY.
The three candidates, who were recognized as SOY for their respective commands for 2024, included:
-Culinary Specialist 1st Class (CS1) Sakana Raqualla Gray, assigned to Navy Service Support Advanced Training Command (NSSATC) located in Virginia Beach, Virginia. -Musician 1st Class (MU1) Gregory Lopes, assigned to Naval School of Music located at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek-Fort Story, Virginia.- Logistics Specialist 1st Class (LS1) Calvin Roldan, assigned to Naval Technical Training Center (NTTC) Meridian at Naval Air Station Meridian, Mississippi.
"We know that our business is a team effort, and the accomplishments of these Sailors are a direct reflection of the teamwork and dedication to the mission at each of our commands,” said CSS Command Master Chief Chris Perras. “Over the past year and throughout their careers, these outstanding individuals have played a major role in shaping and delivering the top-tier training and professional development our warfighters need.”
The CSS Sailor of the Year award recognizes Sailors who have displayed outstanding performance and consistently exhibit strong professional and leadership skills. Sailors serving throughout the CSS domain competed against hundreds of top achievers for this distinction.
LS1 Roldan, a native of Jersey City, New Jersey with over 14 years of service, shared some of the leadership values that have propelled him to this point in his career.
“I strive to give 110% every day, to be a better person today than I was yesterday,” said Roldan. “Like any job, every day won’t always be a great day, but it's how you bounce back that makes you a better person, a better mentor, or Sailor. This recognition means so much to me because I want to show our junior Sailors that they can get anywhere and do anything by putting their minds to it.”
Throughout their visit to Newport, the Sailors, and their senior leaders experienced a bit of the area's rich naval history with visits to the Naval War College Museum and the USS Constitution, the oldest commissioned warship afloat in the world today.
MU1 Lopes, a Massachusetts native who joined after a successful audition for the Navy Band in 2009, expressed his thoughts on his now 15-year career and what it means to be a musician and a warfighter.
“My favorite thing about serving in the Navy is the unique opportunity to combine my passion and life’s work as a musician while giving back to my community and country as a Sailor,” said Lopes. “To me, a warfighter is someone who embodies servant leadership. We set the example and lead from the front while prioritizing the Navy’s needs, and our country, and supporting our shipmates in accomplishing our mission.”
The Sailors also met with senior leaders from other commands at Naval Station Newport, including the Navy Leadership and Ethics Center (NLEC) and Senior Enlisted Academy (SEA), the Navy's only professional military education (PME) institution dedicated to senior enlisted personnel.
CS1 Gray, who hails from North Carolina and is a nearly 17-year veteran, shared her hopes for the future of the Navy and her Sailors as the sea service celebrates its 250th birthday this year.
“My hope for the future is that our Sailors continue to receive the proper training and are provided the knowledge they need to excel both at sea and ashore,” said Gray. “As a leader, I want to ensure that even during difficult times they have access to the resources and support systems needed to overcome challenges and succeed. The strength of our Navy lies in the preparedness and resilience of its people, I hope to continue to contribute to building a stronger, more capable force for generations to come.”
As their visit to Newport concluded, each candidate was boarded by senior enlisted leaders to assess and determine who would be awarded the CSS domain SOY. CSS Commanding Officer Capt. Jose Hernandez announced CS1 Gray as the winner during an all hands call.
“It's an incredible honor to be recognized as the NSSATC SOY and now CSS SOY,” said Gray. “This level of recognition reaffirms that my chain of command values my contribution, work ethic, and dedication to both my professional and personal development. This truly motivates me to continue striving for excellence!”
Gray will go on to represent CSS at the Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) SOY competition later this spring. The annual Sailor of the Year selection events are held to recognize the superior performance of individual Sailors who exceed in personifying the Navy Core Values.
"Team CSS is blessed with an abundance of exceptional warfighters throughout our ranks, making this selection particularly challenging,” said Capt. Hernandez. “However, CS1 Gray stands out as a truly remarkable Sailor whose performance and dedication have earned her this well-deserved recognition. We're not just cheering for her success at the NETC level—we're invested in her continued excellence throughout what promises to be a distinguished Navy career."
CSS provides Sailors in the Naval Administration, Chaplaincy, Command Support Program Management, Human Resources, Logistics, Maintenance Coordination, Media, and Security Management communities the necessary professional skills, knowledge, and education to support the fleet’s warfighting mission.
To learn more about CSS follow here: https://www.netc.navy.mil/CSS/.