PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, commander, Naval Education and Training Command (NETC), presented Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medals to the NETC 2021 Military Instructor of the Year (MIOY) competition winners March 30.

“The Instructors of the Year program recognizes enlisted and officers who demonstrate signature qualities like sustained superior performance, inspirational leadership, and strong mentorship,” said Garvin. “They share their passion for our storied military history and proud heritage. They are always improving themselves, involved in their commands and their local communities, and of course have excellent military bearing.”

Instructors serving throughout the MyNavy HR Force Development domain rose through a number of competitive levels to represent the top achievers in training from a group of more than 11,000 instructors.

The winners in the five MIOY categories, are:

• JUNIOR ENLISTED - Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Handling) 2nd Class Joshua Tayag, Naval Air Technical Training Center, Pensacola, Florida

• MIDGRADE ENLISTED - Aviation Support Equipment Technician 1st Class Beatriz Cruz, Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training Unit North Island, California

• SENIOR ENLISTED - Senior Chief Musician Christopher Sams, Naval School of Music, Virginia Beach, Virginia

• OFFICER – Lt. Michael Ziarek, Information Warfare Training Command Virginia Beach, Virginia

• NROTC – Maj. Larry Black, University of South Florida Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps, Tampa, Florida

Garvin congratulated all the finalists for their roles in shaping the Navy's future force and for their contributions to the training and education mission.

“You are leaders and role models for your shipmates and your students,” said Garvin. “Each of you has a critical role in training our next generation of military personnel to fight and win our Nation’s wars. Fleet readiness does in fact begin with you.”

NETC recruits, trains and delivers those who serve our nation, taking them from “street to fleet,” by transforming civilians into highly skilled, operational, and combat-ready warfighters.

For more information about NETC, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/ and follow us on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/MYNAVYHR/.