Last week, Region Legal Service Office Midwest (RLSO MW) was named a fiscal year 2017 Manpower, Personnel, Training and Education Retention Excellence Award winner. The award recognizes superior accomplishment in executing programs and policies that best enable Sailors to succeed in their careers.
In a GENADMIN message about the award recipients, Vice Adm. Robert P. Burke, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, said: "These commands have successfully implemented and maintained the six key programs that form the foundation of a successful retention effort ... These efforts combine to make up a force of the right Sailors, with the right skills, ready to answer all bells, today and into the future."
RLSO MW was nominated for the award by Chief Legalman (SW) Giannina Gutierrez, the Command Career Counselor at Naval Legal Service Command, based on its Command Information Program Review score.
"We are thrilled to have earned the Retention Excellence Award," said Capt. Mark Holley, Commanding Officer of RLSO MW. "It is an extraordinary accomplishment for a command of our size. When thinking about this award, I envision it at larger commands like ships and squadrons. To be such a small shore command makes this achievement extra special."
Holley noted that credit for the award primarily belongs to the former and current RLSO MW Career Counselors, Legalman 1st Class Stephen Lipowski and Legalman 1st Class Nicholaus Colone. The camaraderie at RLSO MW greatly influences the decision for Sailors to re-enlist and continue their careers in the Navy, he added. RLSO MW routinely conducts career development boards, and its leaders establish conversations early and often with Sailors about career, professional and personal goals and intentions. Additionally, its efficient Command Career Counselor program has resulted in 100 percent C-Way Applications submitted on time and 100 percent Veterans Opportunity to Work Act Compliance at RLSO MW.
"RLSO MW intends to sustain momentum from this award by continuing to build unit morale, and by providing a challenging and dynamic environment that fosters growth, opportunities and fosters an environment where Sailors want to stay Navy because they understand how they are contributing to the big picture and they love what they do every day," said Holley. "Lastly, by sharing good news stories from those Sailors who have decided to re-enlist and are excelling in their careers after making the decision to re-enlist and continue their Navy career."
Bravo Zulu on this significant achievement, RLSO MW team!