NAVSCEOD sailor wins top award

  • Published
  • Naval Education and Training Command
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  The commander of Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) announced the winner of the NETC Sailor of the Year (SOY) competition during a video teleconference today.

Rear Admiral Gary Jones named Explosive Ordinance Disposal Technician First Class Vincent Demakas as NETC's 2008 Sailor of the Year. Demakas, 31, hails from Reno, Nev., and serves as an instructor at the Navy's Explosive Ordinance Disposal (EOD) School located on Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

Demakas was chosen from a field of six candidates who had earned the right to compete for NETC Sailor of the Year by winning command and region recognition. The competitors' records were reviewed and each was interviewed by a board made up of the senior enlisted leadership from NETC, who said they had difficult choices to make this year. "This was probably the most competitive group of candidates that I have ever seen," said NETC Force Master Chief Johnny Walker. "Without exception, these Sailors have repeatedly been recognized for their leadership and mentorship abilities. Mere points separated EOD1 from the other five candidates and we spent a great deal of time deliberating the outcome."

Due to other commitments, Demakas was not able to attend the board. He was interviewed and received the announcement of his award by video teleconference.

Demakas will now go on to compete for the title of Sailor of the Year for the entire Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education domain. A win there would send him on to the Navy-wide Sailor of the Year competition.

The NETC SOY program recognizes Sailors throughout the NETC domain who exhibit sustained superior performance, leadership, self-improvement, command/community involvement and military bearing. It is open to Sailors in the ranks of E-4, E-5 and E-6 who served in the NETC domain during the calendar year of nomination as specified by the nominating command's SOY instruction.

For more information on the Naval Education and Training Command, visit https://www.netc.navy.mil/.