Pacific Fleet honors
its 2 sailors of the year

Two of the Pacific Fleet's top sailors were honored Friday at a recognition luncheon in Waikiki.

Adm. Walter F. Doran, commander of the Pacific Fleet, honored Petty Officer 1st Class Matthew James Waxenfelter and Petty Officer 1st Class Shannon R. Dittlinger, the Navy said.

Waxenfelter was named Pacific Fleet's Sea Sailor of the Year, while Dittlinger was selected the fleet's Shore Sailor of the Year.

Waxenfelter, an aviation electronics technician, is assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron Four. Dittlinger currently serves as command career counselor and the lead petty officer of the command color guard for Naval Hospital Okinawa.

Waxenfelter will be meritoriously promoted to chief petty officer, Navy officials said.

Dittlinger will continue to the Chief of Naval Operations Shore Sailor of the Year competition. If she wins, Dittlinger will also be meritoriously promoted, the Navy said.

The Sailor of the Year competition began in 1972 to seek out the Navy's best and brightest. Sailors compete with hundreds of their peers, beginning at their command and working up through higher-echelon commands.