My nominee is my husband. We are both serving in the Navy which means that he has to play Mr. Mom when I am away as well as deploy himself. We have 3 children, a 14 year old daughter, 9 year old son, 6 year old daughter, and 1 that is due in September of this year.

He has been in the Navy for over 18 years and has never turned away from the call of duty. He has deployed 3 times on-board ships and squadrons, and volunteered for two separate 12 month tours to the Horn of Africa only 13 months apart. While everyone else was making excuses as to why they couldn’t go, he stepped up and said, “I will do it” as soon as he was asked. He knew the sacrifice it would take, but the Navy needed him and he answered the call. He missed our oldest daughter’s birthday 4 times, 3 full holiday seasons, and both of the younger ones first day of kindergarten.

He has never turned down the most difficult jobs at any command he has ever been at. He has so many young sailors that look up to him and it makes me smile when he tells me the stories of how he helped them solve a problem or they send him a thank you email for helping them. He is a terrific father. He has been a football coach and made every game that he could for all of the kids. Our 9 year old and 6 year old were my children from a previous marriage, and when their biological father disappeared, he saw the hurt it caused them and he decided he wanted to adopt them with no questions asked.

He is the strength of this family and a true asset to the Navy. The medals and awards are nice, but if you were to ask him what he is most proud of in his life he will tell you that first it’s his kids and second that he has been able to serve in the greatest Navy in the world alongside his fellow Chiefs. He has made everyone in the family so proud and I am the luckiest woman in the world to have him as my best friend, my husband, and father to ALL our children.