DAHLGREN, Va. – Surface Combat Systems Training Command (SCSTC) recently announced its Domain Junior Civilian of the Year (COY) for 2025. 

Mr. Justin Burkart, a technical instructor at SCSTC Great Lakes, was selected for this distinguished award. 

“I am truly honored and grateful for this recognition,” Burkart said. “I am fortunate to be part of the SCSTC organization, where every day I work alongside an incredibly talented team of civilians and active duty military members to train and develop Sailors and warfighters.”

Mr. Burkart was selected as SCSTC Great Lakes Civilian of the Quarter for the first quarter of 2025. He has been part of the SCSTC Great Lakes team for 10 years.

“Selected from a supremely talented pool of civilians, I am truly impressed with Justin’s dedication to our Sailors,” said Capt. Michael Dwan, SCSTC’s commander. “This award recognizes the critical role he plays in supporting mission readiness. Thank you, Justin, for all of your hard work and ensuring we continue to forge our Sailors into combat systems warfighters who are prepared to fight, win, and return home safely.”

As a technical instructor, Burkart has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to student success and fleet readiness. His efforts throughout the year have set a new benchmark for excellence within the command.

“Justin’s impact extends significantly to the domain’s long-term mission and goals,” said Mr. Brian Parker, SCSTC’s executive director. “He is a cornerstone of the ET “A” School instructional team and has directly contributed to training some of the best and brightest accession Sailors to fill critical gaps at sea. He worked tirelessly across multiple SCSTC schoolhouses to integrate new systems into the curriculum which directly supported our command’s vision for scalable, technology-driven instruction.”

As a recognized subject matter expert across all communication systems curricula, he instructed 26 classes, guiding 598 students to an impressive 92.29% average Grade Point Average. His instructional excellence is further validated by receiving 100% positive student critiques and outstanding instructor evaluations. He also dedicated over 40 hours to providing additional academic support and trained four new instructors, ensuring the continuity of high-quality instruction. Additionally, he administered 1,794 knowledge and performance examinations, conducted 186 individual student counseling sessions, and completed 4,859 student record entries in Corporate Enterprise Training Activity Resource Systems.
 
Capt. Chris May, commanding officer, SCSTC Great Lakes, says Burkart’s dedication extends beyond the classroom. 

“Demonstrating a profound commitment to personal and professional growth, Justin has earned Six Sigma White, Green, and Black Belt certifications, enhancing his ability to optimize curriculum and processes,” May said. “He has also volunteered over 70 hours as a licensed contractor, providing no-cost services to local residents. Justin’s technical expertise, professionalism, and dedication to his Sailors and community make him exceptionally deserving of this honor.”

The criteria for SCSTC’s COY award include superior service in support of the domain and its mission, notable contributions to the training and development of Sailors, and demonstrated professionalism in his or her assigned duties.

SCSTC is part of the Naval Education and Training Command, led by Rear Adm. Greg Huffman. SCSTC is a training organization that consists of 15 global learning sites and detachments. Its mission is to provide the U.S. Navy and our allies with highly trained warfighters to maintain, operate, and tactically employ surface combat systems across the spectrum of operations. Annually, SCSTC delivers training to over 31,000 U.S. Navy Sailors as well as 1,100 international Sailors from 27 partner nations.

For more information about SCSTC, visit the command’s website at https://www.netc.navy.mil/SCSTC/ and follow the command’s social media: Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/SurfaceCombatSystemsTrainingCommand, Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/scstc_hq/, and LinkedIn at  https://www.linkedin.com/company/scstc/.