By VICKI REED
NAS Patuxent River Public Affairs Department

PATUXENT RIVER NAVAL AIR STATION, MD-AW1 Michael DeVito Jr., recently named Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division's Sailor of the Year (SOY) for 2001 says "it felt like a million bucks."

Representing Naval Rotary Wing Aircraft Test Squadron in the Naval Test Wing Atlantic (NTWL) competition, DeVito was nominated at the squadron level by his supervisor.

Rotary Wing's former commanding officer, Capt. Brian Watkins, informed DeVito he'd won the NTWL's Sailor of the Year, and after winning at the NAWCAD level, DeVito was runner-up for the NAVAIR Sailor of the Year.

DeVito puts Rotary Wing's MH-60S helicopter through all its paces for operation in the Fleet. The MH-60S will, within the next five years, replace all HH-60H helicopters in the fleet. DeVito's second hat is as the Operations Department's leading petty officer, where he supervises the scheduling of flights and crews, manages the test plans and aircraft publications, and monitors the day-to-day flying.

Perhaps the duty DeVito most enjoys, and the one he calls the most rewarding, is Rotary Wing's command career counselor. DeVito counsels Sailors who have been in the service between 5 and 15 years and who are making career choices. He has schooled himself in the Redux program, a dual-retirement program choice for individuals at the 15-year service point. Selecting a retirement plan at this point is a crucial decision and DeVito believes it is his responsibility to make sure the Sailors he counsels understand their options so they may make informed decisions. With a full schedule at work, many evenings at home were spent studying this issue.

DeVito credits his wife and children for his success in his career. He adds, being selected as the Sailor of the Year has given him an intense feeling of accomplishment.

-USN-