I always preach to my Sailors about the importance of education. An education is something that no one can ever take from you.

This has been a very enjoyable week, like a paid Navy vacation. I got the chance to mix and mingle with a lot of interesting people and I gained a lot of knowledge and insight from my fellow nominees.

It's important to maximize your time and give 200 percent while you're single, but once you have a family you need to slow down and take care of them as you go along.

I'm honored and humbled to be selected for an award like this. Now I know the pressure athletes must feel to be role models for other people. I'll do my best to represent the region with pride in the Navy-wide competition.

I've learned a lot from so many people during my time in the Navy. The guys aboard Emory S. Land taught me to do things the right way and it has stuck with me throughout my career.

Public education has a duty to educate all our kids. If we don't educate all the kids that come into this nation, this country will go down quickly.