By Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Rachel McMarr, Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet Public Affairs

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- The commander of U.S. Naval Forces Central Command (NAVCENT) along with NAVCENT staff command master chief announced the 2009 NAVCENT Sailor of the Year at a ceremony Feb. 15 on board Naval Support Activity Bahrain.

Vice Adm. Bill Gortney joined NAVCENT Staff Command Master Chief Marco Ramirez to announce the following Sailors were selected for recognition: Boatswain's Mate 1st Class Tychicious Turner, from San Diego, Sailor of the Year, Operations Specialist 2nd Class Shannon Meyers, from Columbus, Ga., Junior Sailor of the Year (JSOY) and Intelligence Specialist 3rd Class Richard Mace, Jr., from Montclair, Va., Bluejacket of the Year.

Turner will go on to compete for Vice Chief of Naval Operations Naval Shore Activities Sailor of the Year in March.

"It's an honor to pay tribute to the men and women who set the example every day, only to exceed it the following day," Ramirez said. These Sailors are the best of best," Ramirez said, "and now it is time to recognize them for their achievements and for their dedication to professionalism, integrity and the U.S. Navy."

Sailor of the Year nominee packages, which are submitted from departments within the command, are reviewed by NAVCENT senior leadership. Following this appraisal, the nominees have individual interviews with a five-member board made up of senior enlisted command leaders.

"It was challenging, because you don't know what they're going to ask during the board," Meyers said, laughing. "I did better than I thought I would."

Sailors are evaluated on their leadership abilities, professional knowledge, performance, military bearing, command collateral duties and other significant individual accomplishments.

Meyers will not be the only one in her family to take the JSOY title home, she said. Her sister, Logistics Specialist 2nd Class Stacey Meyers was also selected as a 2009 JSOY, at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, where she is currently stationed.

"I'm so proud. We've been stationed together before and it seems every time something good happens to her, it happens to me and vice versa," Meyers said. "I'm at a point in my life I never thought I'd be."

For more news from Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command/Commander, U.S. 5th Fleet, visit www.navy.mil/local/cusnc/.