Jan 18, 2013
NAVAL AIR SYSTEMS COMMAND, PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division named Aviation Electrician’s Mate (AW) 1st Class Ryan Kirk the command’s Sailor of the Year for 2012 during a ceremony Jan. 15.
Kirk, who enlisted in 2000, is assigned to Air Test and Evaluation Squadron Two One (HX-21) as the Government Inspection Office Leading Petty Officer for the V-22 Hanger here.
During the ceremony Rear Adm. Mark Darrah, NAWCAD Commander, praised Kirk’s leadership in mentoring younger Sailors while meeting the daily maintenance inspection demands of a busy test squadron.
Kirk is also a community leader having served as president of the First Class Petty Officers Association and organized a children’s Christmas party that raised funds to support various command functions.
“Petty Officer Kirk is a model Sailor who consistently excels in the most challenging situations,” said Cmdr. Wade McConvey, HX-21 squadron commander. “His actions contributed immeasurably to the success of my command’s mission in 2012.”
Last year Kirk led a team of contractors and engineers during a two week deployment at sea aboard the USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) to perform dynamic testing of the MV-22B Tilt-Rotor aircraft . Leadership reported a 100 percent mission success rate during the aircraft carrier deployment due to his efforts.
Kirk plans to make the Navy a career and will go on to compete for the Chief of Naval Operations Sailor of the Year.
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