Local Sailor of the Year Picked from Naval Base Coronado

Navy Region Southwest named Lutheran M. Carter the command's 2012 Sailor of the Year during a ceremony aboard the USS Midway Museum Dec. 7.

Carter, an Aviation Maintenance Administrationman 1st, enlisted in 1998 and is assigned to Naval Base Coronado as the leading petty officer for the air operations department.

He also serves as the departmental career counselor and the morale, welfare and recreation president.

The ceremony followed several selection boards, during which three finalists culled from the region's 11 competitors were invited to San Diego to vie for the honor of Navy Region Southwest Sailor of the Year. 

During the week, the finalists toured Navy family support centers and local community outreach agencies, including the United Services Organization (USO).

During the ceremony, Rear Adm. Dixon Smith, commander of Navy Region Southwest, praised each of the candidates for their shared sense of humility and camaraderie. 

"I can tell you hands down, we've got the best sailors at Navy Region Southwest. What I noticed during my interviews was that each of our Sailor of the Year candidates said they were here to represent the sailors who work for them, not just themselves," Smith said.

Carter reiterated that his selection as Sailor of the Year is another opportunity to represent his junior sailors.

"I would like to thank the chief's mess, my commanding officer and everyone who has mentored me," he said, "but I'm really here today because of the sailors who work for me."

Carter will go on to compete against sailors from other regions for the honor of Commander, Naval Installations Command Sailor of the Year. The selectee from that competition will go on to compete for Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year.

Carter has also recently received the Sybil Stockdale Peacemaker Award, which annually recognizes a military person who has contributed to improving communication and the peaceful resolution of conflicts within the Coronado, Calif., military community.

The 34-year-old native of Augusta, Ga., is also earning his master's degree in Workforce Development.

– From a news release on Navy.mil