Boatswain’s Mate First Class Hector Najera, a Miami native and G. Holmes Braddock Senior High School Class of 2002 graduate, has been selected as the Senior Sailor of the Year for the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay (LPD 20).
Najera, son of Olivia and Jairo Najera, has been in the Navy for 12 and a half years and has been assigned to Green Bay for four years. In his years in the Navy, Najera has completed two deployments and currently is underway aboard Green Bay.
As the Deck Department Leading Petty Officer, Najera is responsible for training over 160 Sailors on basic seamanship, fire fighting, small boat procedures, and amphibious craft operations. He also is the Deck Department Fitness Leader and the president of the First Class Petty Officer’s Association.
“Success is not the key to happiness,” Najera said. “Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful.”
Green Bay departed San Diego on Jan. 26 for Sasebo, Japan, where the ship will join U.S. Seventh Fleet’s Forward Deployed Naval Forces.
Green Bay is replacing the decommissioned Austin-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Denver (LPD 9), previously deployed to Sasebo, Japan, and will enhance amphibious presence in the U.S. Seventh Fleet area of responsibility as part of the U.S. Navy’s long-range plan to send the most advanced and capable units to the Asia-Pacific region.
Edward Guttierrez III is a U.S. Navy Mass Communication Specialist Third Class aboard the USS Green Bay.
