PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Naval Education and Training Command (NETC) announced its 2021 Sailor of the Year (SOY) May 6 in a ceremony held at the National Naval Aviation Museum on Naval Air Station Pensacola.

Four finalists for SOY serving throughout the MyNavy HR Force Development domain rose through a number of competitions to represent the top achievers in recruiting and training from a pool of more than 8,000 military members.

Navy Counselor 1st Class Monique A. Staples, representing Navy Talent Acquisition Group Golden Gate, was selected as the 2021 NETC Sailor of the Year (SOY). She has been pre-selected for advancement to chief petty officer and will be pinned in the fall.

The NETC SOY program recognizes Sailors throughout the NETC domain who exhibit attributes such as sustained superior performance, leadership, self-improvement, command/community involvement, and appearance.

Rear Adm. Pete Garvin, NETC commander, congratulated all the finalists for their roles in shaping the Navy's future force and for their contributions to the recruiting, training, and education missions.

“The Sailors we recognize today embody the Navy’s ethos,” said Garvin. “They were selected from an extremely talented field of Sailors who exemplify the Navy’s core values of honor, courage and commitment.”

Staples is currently serving as a division leading petty officer, a role normally held by a chief petty officer. She is responsible for the leadership, training and production of 17 U.S. Navy recruiters and four recruiting stations geographically dispersed across 1,000 square miles of northern California, one of Navy Recruiting Command’s toughest markets. She was selected as Navy Talent Acquisition Group (NTAG) Golden Gate’s Leading Petty Officer of the Quarter (2nd Quarter) and Sailor of the Quarter (4th Quarter) during fiscal year (FY) 2021.

“Being a recruiter is a unique opportunity. I am part of the first molding and shaping of this generation of Sailors,” said Staples. “I get a chance to influence and mentor, while contributing to mission readiness by manning the fleet. It’s an honor.”

Staples also serves as president of her unit’s Command Diversity Committee and has coordinated six multi-cultural events and observances, fostering unit cohesion and a positive environment for 305 military and civilian personnel.

The 2021 NETC SOY finalists include:

* Electronics Technician 1st Class Christopher A. Beeler, Surface Combat Systems Training Command San Diego
* Construction Electrician 1st Class Lhe’Niise E. M. Brown, Recruit Training Command
* Navy Diver 1st Class Ryan M. Murphy, Naval Submarine School

NETC is the U.S. Navy’s Force Development pillar and largest shore command. Through its “Street to Fleet” focus, NETC recruits civilians and transforms them into skilled warfighters ready to meet the current and future needs of the U.S. Navy.

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