JOINT BASE CHARLESTON, S.C. –
Personnel Support Detachment Personnel Specialist 1st Class James Long Jr. leads the way in excellence as Naval Support Activity's Sailor of the Year for 2010 on Joint Base Charleston-Weapons Station.
Students Department Leading Petty Officer, PS1 Long, originally from Lexington, S.C., joined the Navy in 2001 and quickly rose through the ranks. He reported to PSD in Nov. 2006.
"Petty Officer Long has performed above and beyond my expectations," said PSD Officer in Charge Lt. j.g. Rafael Villarreal. "I don't have any chief petty officers within the department, so PS1 Long fills that position for us. He is definitely my 'go to Sailor'. I know if I need an instruction put out or enforced, he is the Sailor to go to."
Petty Officer Long is the account manager for the Navy Standard Integrated Personnel System, training coordinator for all Chief of Naval Operations directives, general military training petty officer and coordinates safety stand-downs for PSD.
"I just do my job the best that I can and take those extra steps to ensure that the job is done correctly and in a timely manner," said PS1 Long. "I have done a lot of training with the civilians who work here and led the team closing out all the service records. I really didn't think I did anything to make me stand out above anyone else."
But, not only is PS1 Long a dedicated Sailor, he is a devoted family man and also spends time in the community as well. He spends numerous hours each week coaching a YMCA soccer team and routinely helps at his local church.
"Petty Officer Long has shown me through his mentorship and leadership that he is definitely someone you can count on no matter what," said Personnel Specialist Second Class Charles Tobler. "He has shown me how to be more dependable and has made me determined to improve myself professionally and personally."
According to Petty Officer Long, mentorship is one of many key elements to a Sailor's success.
"One thing I love about my job is that I get the opportunity to help out junior Sailors by mentoring them and giving them advice," Petty Officer Long said. "Mentorship is essential for a Sailor because it helps their growth, whether it is with advancement or just every day pointers to further their naval career. It is a rewarding feeling to be able to impact someone positively."
Petty Officer Long's schedule is filling quickly as his package will appear before the Commander Navy Region South East competition where he will be evaluated against all other Sailors of the Year in the South East region. He also is preparing for an Individual Augmentee deployment to Kuwait for a year.
"Making Sailor of the Year was a very big shock to me," PS1 Long concluded. "I know I'm a good Sailor but there are a lot of good Sailors out there. It's just not all about me, it is about the junior personnel that work for you. I'm a firm believer that without them, no one could succeed."